“The online solar map is an important educational outreach resource that will help the city-wide effort to meet our climate action goals,” said Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates. “The CH2M HILL mapping technology removes what were once costly barriers to maximizing the energy harvesting of solar installations.”
Residents and business owners in Berkeley can now log on, view their rooftops, calculate the available square footage for panels, get a photovoltaic (PV) system size to fit their rooftop, obtain detailed information on tax rebates and choose from a listing of available installers. The CH2M HILL solar map accurately reflects elements such as rooftop structures, the slant of the roof, shading from obstructions and takes into account the azimuth of the sun for PV panel placement.
“The City of Berkeley is taking a leadership role in solar energy and empowering its citizens to become good stewards of the environment,” said David Herrmann, client solutions director, CH2M HILL’s Enterprise Management Solutions. “The city has the people and the technology to significantly change how the municipality, its businesses, and residences generate energy in the years to come.”
Berkeley’s ESD seeks to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in both city operations and throughout Berkeley in order to promote a healthy and sustainable community. ESD is committed to developing and implementing innovative programs to promote an integrated strategy for energy efficiency and renewable energy. ESD hosts programs that assist Berkeley citizens on increasing energy efficiency in homes and businesses, reducing household carbon footprints and balancing emissions by using on-site renewable energy.
The Berkeley FIRST program, a solar finance program that assists Berkeley residents in tackling the financial hurdles of installing solar panels, is the city’s flagship solar energy program. It provides property owners an opportunity to borrow money from the City’s Sustainable Energy Financing District to install solar photovoltaic electric systems and repay the financing through property tax bills.
In addition to its solar solutions, CH2M HILL Enterprise Management Solutions is the leader in carbon management systems integration. For further information about CH2M HILL’s sustainability solutions, please visit www.ch2m.com/solarmapping.
About CH2M HILL
Headquartered near Denver, Colo., employee-owned CH2M HILL is a global leader in engineering, procurement, construction, management and operations for government, civil, industrial and energy clients. With $6.4 billion in revenue and more than 25,000 employees, CH2M HILL is an industry-leading program management, construction management and design firm, as ranked by Engineering News-Record (2008). The firm’s work is concentrated in the areas of energy, water, transportation, environmental, nuclear and industrial facilities. The firm has long been recognized as a most-admired company and leading employer, including being named by FORTUNE as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For (2009). Visit www.ch2mhill.com.
CH2M HILL Enterprise Management Solutions (EMS) is an industry-leading IT management system integration consulting and solution development business. EMS provides a unique ability to leverage its core lines of business—consulting, enterprise spatial, enterprise collaboration, integrated security and emergency preparedness, program management and managed IT services—to provide capabilities that span the entire client enterprise.
For more information about CH2M HILL EMS visit: www.ch2m.com/ems.
Editor’s note: Spokespeople from CH2M HILL and the City of Berkeley are available for comment. Please contact Jennifer Jansky, CH2M HILL media relations, at Email Contact or (303) 722-9552 to request an interview. In addition, video segments, downloadable graphics and other press materials may be available upon request.
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