UC, San Diego "Plants" Envision Solar Trees

In an effort to have one of the nation’s most eco (News - Alert)-friendly college campuses, the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), has embarked on a forestation program on the roof of two of its parking garages.

 

Steel components are already in place, forming the framework for Solar Trees that will soon be fitted with a canopy of Kyocera (News - Alert) photovoltaic modules to supply clean energy for the campus, shade for parking, future infrastructure for electric vehicles, and a unique visual surprise on the top of the garage.

 

Native to San Diego, the Solar Tree was created by Envision CEO, Robert Noble, a sustainable architect with an Ivy League education and deep roots in his hometown of San Diego. Noble was CEO of local architectural firm Tucker, Sadler when Kyocera International commissioned a project to transform an employee parking lot into a showpiece for its photovoltaic panels, and an architectural landmark that won recognition from the American Institute of Architecture. 


Both the award-winning design of the Kyocera Solar Grove in Kearny Mesa and the UCSD Solar Grove are based on the principles of bio-mimicry, the discipline that takes concepts from nature and employs them in architecture. The Solar Tree design is based on natural trees, with trunks and branches supporting a shade canopy. 


"As sustainable architects, we at Envision Solar are committed to adding beauty and form to the functionality of solar power generation, and integrating it with the overall design of the site," stated Noble. 


Each Solar Tree at UCSD will produce more than 17,000 hours of clean energy per year; enough energy to power more than four single-family homes. Each Solar Tree avoids 13.2 metric tons of carbon emissions. Furthermore, the Solar Tree design offers the option to install an outlet for electric vehicle charging; effectively, UCSD's rooftop Solar Groves will provide some of San Diego's first electric vehicle infrastructure. 


"This photovoltaic installation marks an historic event for a campus that has become a living laboratory for climate change solutions," said Steve Relyea, vice chancellor of Business Affairs. "Our sustainable energy program is the result of a campus-wide commitment by students, faculty and administration to advance environmental sustainability on a local, national and global level." 

 

UC San Diego's green energy program will continue to progress over the next year. 

"We at Envision Solar are proud to support UCSD with our design for a bio-mimetic renewable energy installation at the cutting edge of solar integrated architecture,” added Noble. 


At the upcoming Conference of the American Association for Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), Noble will co-present the concept of site-integrated photovoltaics, including the UCSD design, with UCSD's Dr. Lisa Schaeffer, executive director of the Environmental Sustainability Initiative. 


Envision Solar International is a turn-key, solar integrated building systems developer. The company's mission is to provide aesthetically pleasing photovoltaic systems to increase the worldwide use of renewable energy. Led by a group of visionary architects, builders and engineers, Envision Solar transforms heat-absorbing parking areas into beautiful, efficient solar power plants. Learn more about us at: www.envisionsolar.com. 


The University of California, San Diego is one of the premier research universities in the nation. In June 2005, UC San Diego Chancellor Fox announced the formation of a campus-wide Environment and Sustainability Initiative (ESI (News - Alert)) to bring together the intellectual resources of the campus around the challenges of sustainability.