FLINT SOLAR ROOF COMPANY DONATES SOLAR ROOFING SYSTEM TO NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION HOME
JULY 19, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FLINT, MI---The Universal Design Living Laboratory (UDLL), a national demonstration home of the future being constructed near Columbus, Ohio, has accepted Flint-based Freedom Solar Roofing’s donation of a BIPV solar roofing system for the 3,500 square-foot home.
“We are very pleased to be a part of this revolutionary project in home design,” Frank Farmer, president of Freedom Solar Roofing, said. “We are providing state-of-the-art solar technology to a design project that is focused on educating everyone involved in the home construction process about the best practices for human-centered design coupled with sustainability.”
Universal design is a framework for the design of living and working spaces and products benefiting the widest possible range of people in the widest range of situations without special or separate design. Universal design is human-centered design, accommodating people of all sizes, ages, and abilities.
As a national demonstration home and garden, the UDLL brings attention to three critical architectural design and building concepts: universal design, green sustainable building and healthy chemical-free materials. The goal is to have the home certified from the U. S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) for Homes, the National Association of Home Builders National Green Building Program, and Energy Star.
Construction began on the 3,500 square foot ranch-style home in 2009 and it will be completed this year. The future residents, Rosemarie Rossetti, Ph.D., a wheelchair user, and her husband, Mark Leder, have embarked on an ambitious campaign to build a home and create the Universal Design Living Laboratory that will be open to the builder, designer, architect, and consumer publics.
The building integrated photovoltaic system (BIPV) of Freedom Solar Roofing will contribute to the project team’s efforts to make the home green, energy-efficient and an excellent example of a home of the future.
The modern BIPV system blends in with the roof rather than sitting on top of it. This creates an aesthetically pleasing finish that fits into the residential landscape, unlike the bulky and easily damaged crystalline solar panels of the past.
The BIPV panels are photovoltaic laminates encased in UV stabilized polymers. They are flexible, lightweight and durable, arriving at the job site in kit form with all required wiring and metering included. They serve the dual purpose of providing both roofing and power generation. The photovoltaic laminates are produced by another Michigan company, Uni-Solar of Auburn Hills.
Farmer says the BIPV panels deliver 20 percent more energy per watt because they are less affected by the temperature than monocrystalline or polycrystalline products.
The BIPV system qualifies for the federal tax credit, through 2016, of 30 percent of the solar net system cost.
To see how Freedom Solar Roofing can look on your home view pictures at www.freedomsolarroofing.com or call 1-888-862-7719 to schedule an energy consultation.
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MEDIA:
UDLL Website, Media Contacts, Photos – www.udll.com
Photos of the Freedom Solar Roofing installation can be found under The Home - Photo Gallery - 2010-05-19
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See more Photos of Freedom Solar Roofs at the Homes Gallery
