University of Calgary buckles down on sustainability with massive solar panel wall

Work is underway at the University of Calgary to install a large solar panel wall mount on the south side of its social sciences building.

It's part of the university's efforts to get maintenance done to the building, while working toward its Climate Action Plan.

"The facade of the building, which is precast, was at the end of its life," said Boris Dragicevic, associate vice-president of facilities development at the University of Calgary.

But instead of replacing the precast concrete panels, Dragicevic and his team — along with the university's sustainability team — decided to install 1,100 square metres of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels.

The PVs protect the insulation that's behind them while also generating electricity, says Dragicevic.

The system will generate 225 kilowatts of electricity — 90 per cent of the electricity that the building needs, he says.

"When you have older buildings and you need to redevelop them, these are practical, cost efficient measures that are very good for both the environment and the owners of the building."

Installation of the solar panels should be finished by the end of the month, then the building's electrical system will be upgraded. Since the north side of the building doesn't get much sun, metal panels are being installed to emulate the aesthetics of the photovoltaic panels.

The project, and other maintenance work, was funded by the Alberta government's Capital Maintenance Renewal program, though Dragicevic couldn't say how much went toward this specific project.

For University of Calgary students, graduates and staff, Dragicevic says they're paying homage to Leon the Frog by including three images of frogs on the steel release, plus write-ups inside and outside the building.

The PV system should be fully operational by September.

Campus sustainability goals

The University of Calgary's goal is to achieve a 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and become a carbon neutral campus by 2050.

Joanne Perdue, associate vice-president of sustainability at the university, says this project is one of the many steps they're taking to achieve that.

"As of the end of the last fiscal year, we were sitting at a 36 per cent reduction in our institutional greenhouse gas emissions," said Perdue. "That would be about the equivalent of emissions to close to 60,000 homes."

There are a number of other solar projects completed on campus, but Perdue says the social sciences solar wall is the biggest one by far.

"It will almost close to double what we have in terms of kilowatt per hour production," she said. 

Sara Hastings-Simon, assistant professor at the University of Calgary who's teaching a course about the principles of solar power, says the project is a good way to get students to better understand solar.

Many of her students haven't had a chance to see solar up close before now, she says.

"Having solar that is being put on people's rooftops or on buildings within community spaces I think just gives more people a chance to see it and interact with it and maybe get curious about what it is and how it works," said Hastings-Simon.

She says solar can be a very useful part of Alberta's energy mix — especially when power prices have been rising in the province.

"Solar is one really useful tool in both reducing our emissions, generating power in a way that produces significantly less carbon emissions, but also in a way that keeps electricity affordable for everybody."