University of Pittsburgh clinches grant for 110-kW rooftop solar install

An artist’s rendering shows the new Engineering and Information Technologies Building being constructed at Pitt-Bradford. The building will house engineering and information technology programs, including energy engineering technology, and it will feature a rooftop solar array.

The Met-Ed / Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund has awarded a $230,000 grant toward a rooftop solar project at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. The $22 million project includes a new academic building to house new engineering technology programs on campus, including energy engineering technology.

The $230,000 grant will fund a 110-kW rooftop solar array projected to produce approximately 113,000 kWh/year and a building energy dashboard that will aid in community education and engagement. The building, which is currently being constructed, will be built to a gold level of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Construction is expected to be complete by Fall 2022.

Berks County Community Foundation and Community Foundation for the Alleghenies (CFA) administer the Met-Ed / Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund, which provides financial support to promote renewable and clean energy, energy conservation and efficiency, and sustainable energy businesses within the former service territories of Met-Ed and Penelec.

In addition to introducing green building to the local community, the new building will provide unique spaces to spark students’ creativity, and the programs housed there will prepare students for engineering and information technology careers in the region and beyond.

“We’re very grateful to the Met-Ed / Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund for this support,” said Rick Esch, Pitt-Bradford’s interim president. “This new building, the rooftop solar array, and the building dashboard will provide unique educational opportunities for our students that will help them lead future sustainability efforts in our communities.”

News item from the University of Pittsburgh

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Original Source: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2022/03/university-of-pittsburgh-clinches-grant-for-110-kw-rooftop-solar-install/