BERKELEY, CA--(Marketwire - January 7, 2008) - Head-Royce School, an independent, coeducational, college preparatory K-12 day school in Oakland, today announced the completion of a 412-panel solar electric system that will offset more than 35 percent of the school's current electricity usage. The system, installed by Borrego Solar Systems, Inc., will be officially unveiled and activated during a community event held at Head-Royce on Thursday, January 10, 2007 at 11:25 a.m. PST.
"Today, environmental issues are among the most serious facing our nation, and taking positive steps to make Head-Royce a model green school is simply the right thing to do," said Paul Chapman, head of school at Head-Royce. "We want to help our students understand the challenges we face in environmental sustainability, and going solar is one of the most important components in this effort. We are proud to have U.C. Berkeley Professor Dan Kammen and Borrego Solar as part of this initiative."
The solar panels are the latest initiative put in place by Head-Royce's "Green Council," a group founded in 2006 designed to help its 800 students -- as well as faculty, parents and the community at large -- be more environmentally conscious. Other initiatives implemented at Head-Royce include expanded recycling and composting, a school vegetable garden and integrating "green" thinking into the curriculum. As a testament to the Green Council, Head-Royce is only the third school in Alameda County to be certified as a green business.
"Environmental responsibility goes hand-in-hand with education, and Borrego Solar is proud to be a part of Head-Royce's commitment to its students, faculty and the surrounding community," said Mike Hall, president of Borrego Solar. "It is becoming easier and more advantageous for schools to pursue alternative energy options and promote 'going green.' As energy costs continue to rise we anticipate that many more schools will take this bold step."
Event Details:
What: Head-Royce School unveiling of new solar energy installation
Who: Dr. Dan Kammen, professor at U.C. Berkeley (keynote address)
Paul Chapman, head of school at Head-Royce
Head-Royce student and faculty speakers
Where: Head-Royce School, 4315 Lincoln Ave., Oakland
When: Thursday, January 10, 2008 from 11:25 a.m.-12:10 p.m. PST
Media interested in attending the event -- or speaking with Dr. Kammen, a Borrego Solar executive or Head-Royce faculty or students prior to the event -- can contact Schwartz Communications at (415) 512-0770 or borregosolar@schwartz-pr.com.
tag: solar power, green initiative, U.C.Berkeley, Borrego Solar Systems, Head-Royce School,
Showing posts with label green initiative. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green initiative. Show all posts
Monday, January 07, 2008
Friday, December 28, 2007
Cities Entice People To Go Green
PARKLAND, Fla. (AP) — Free hybrid-car parking. Cash rebates for installing solar panels. Low-interest loans for energy-saving home renovations. Money to tear up desert lawns and replace them with drought-resistant landscaping.
Frustrated by what they see as insufficient action by state and federal government, municipalities around the country are offering financial incentives to get people to go green.
"A lot of localities recognize they're going to get a lot more done using carrots and incentives rather than regulatory means," said Jason Hartke, director of advocacy for the U.S. Green Building Council.
In Parkland, where the motto is "Environmentally Proud," the city plans next year to begin dispensing cash rebates to its 25,000 residents for being more environmentally friendly.
"We will literally issue them a check," said Vice Mayor Jared Moskowitz. "We're sick of waiting for the federal government to do something, so we've got to do what we can."
Residents who install low-flow toilets or shower heads will get $150. Replacing an old air conditioner with a more energy-efficient one brings $100. Buying a hybrid car? An additional $200 cash back. And the list goes on.
Based on an estimate of 1,000 residents participating in the rebate program during the first year, the city predicts it will cost up to $100,000.
"Could this bankrupt the city if the program grows by leaps and bounds?" Moskowitz asked. "I can only wish that so many residents want to go green that that becomes an issue."
Many states already offer similar rebates and incentives through tax breaks, loans and perks such as allowing hybrid-car drivers to use car pool lanes.
Utilities have long provided incentives to buy energy-efficient appliances, solar panels and toilets that use less water. The federal government, too, offers tax incentives for purchases of many hybrid vehicles and energy-saving products.
Still, for many cities, it's just not enough.
"In terms of waiting for the federal government, we've waited a long time, and frankly, we haven't gotten very much," said Jared Blumenfeld, director of San Francisco's Department of Environment. "And how do you change someone's behavior? The simple answer is cash."
Starting next year, San Francisco will offer homeowners rebates of up to $5,000 for installing solar panels if they use a local contractor. Coupled with state and federal incentives, that could cut in half the $21,000 cost for an average household, Blumenfeld said.
The city will also cover up to 90 percent of the costs of making apartment buildings more energy-efficient, and will pay residents $150 to replace old appliances.
The neighboring city of Berkeley is financing the cost of solar panels for homeowners who agree to pay the money back through a 20-year property tax assessment.
Nearby Marin County offers a $500 rebate to homeowners who install solar systems.
Baltimore offers at least $2,000 toward closing costs for people who buy new homes close to where they work. It is called the "Live Near Your Work" program.
"Just living near your job and taking transit or walking to meet your daily needs provides basically the same environmental benefit as buying a hybrid car," said Amanda Eaken of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Residents of Albuquerque, N.M., get fast-track building permits and other perks if they agree to make their homes more energy-efficient.
In Arizona, many cities pay residents to replace grass with artificial turf or plants that use less water. Scottsdale, outside Phoenix, will pay up to $1,500.
"We're in the middle of a desert and water is absolutely the most precious resource we have," said city spokesman Mike Phillips.
On the Net:
- Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency: http://www.dsireusa.org
- American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy: http://www.aceee.org
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