Letter of Intent
Estimated Amount to be requested from the CSF: 
$50,000
Letter of Intent: 

LIFE SCIENCES BUILDING ROOFTOP SOLAR ARRAY (2)

INTRODUCTION

UW-Solar is working with the University of Washington (UW) and project architects, Perkins+Will, on the construction of UW’s Life Sciences Building (LSB). UW-Solar contributed to the installation of building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) panels on the façade of the building. The student group is now advocating for the installation of a 100 kW on the rooftop of the LSB upon completion of the building, scheduled for Fall 2018. We have already secured $150,000 in previous funding from the Campus Sustainability Fund (CSF) for the project, received a generous $100,000 donation from a charitable organization, and are requesting an additional $50,000 from CSF for the project, through the new Student Technology Fee (STF) partnership with CSF.

SUMMARY

UW-SOLAR SUMMARY

UW-Solar is an interdisciplinary team within the University of Washington’s Urban Infrastructure Laboratory that focuses on the development of solar installations with accompanying Industrial Control Systems on buildings on the UW campus. UW-Solar students range from undergraduate to the Ph.D. level within the Colleges of Engineering, Business, Built Environments, and Environmental Sciences. UW-Solar’s primary objective is to provide clean, sustainable power production to reduce the University of Washington’s reliance on external energy resources, improve power systems’ resilience to outages, and reduce the overall carbon footprint of the university. The usage of clean and renewable energy sources are a primary objective of the University of Washington’s Climate Action plan for the future sustainability of the University.

2.2 PROJECT SUMMARY

UW is working with Perkins+Will to construct the new Life Science Building. The implementation of a roof-top PV array will enhance the energy generation of the existing design, bringing the project closer to achieving LEED-NC Platinum certification. Power generation from solar energy has been achieved with the construction of BIPV fins on the southeast façade, but the addition of standard photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roof of the building would allow for far greater harvesting of the solar resource.

In Spring 2017, CSF approved $150,000 in funding for a combined pool that was meant to cover the $600,000 in costs for both the rooftop PV system and the BIPV panels. Unfortunately, we were unable to secure the remaining $450,000 because many of our historical funding sources became unavailable within the current political climate. As such we chose to abandon pursuing funding for the BIPV fins and have focused exclusively on the the rooftop PV system.

In July 2018, we were informed by Devin Kleiner of Perkins+Will that a generous donor was willing to contribute $100,000 to the construction of the rooftop PV system. The original CSF funding combined with the matching donation brings our current budget to $250,000. We are thus requesting an additional $50,000 in order to fully build out our designed 100 kW array on the LSB.

This project has been in development since Fall of 2016. As such, we have already completed the design for the project, estimated costs and power generation, and have begun a draft Request for Proposal (RFP) to be submitted to UW Capital Projects & Development.

We are hoping this project can be supported by the new STF partnership with CSF. The development of clean energy on campus aligns itself with the goals of the STF. This rooftop PV system would provide positive environmental and financial impacts for the University, provide opportunities for students of UW-Solar to work on an engineering and construction project, and promotes sustainability initiatives on campus with a visible and highly-publicized student project.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The addition of photovoltaics to the Life Sciences Building will have a positive impact on the environment through the on-site production of renewable energy, which will both reduce the carbon-footprint of the building and increase its energy self-sufficiency.

As of March 2017, the was enough rooftop space reserved for a 100 kW solar array, or approximately 335 standard panels. Using the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's PVWatts calculator (https://pvwatts.nrel.gov/), this array would generate approximately 105,000 kWh/year. According to the EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies calculator, that is equivalent to upwards of 78 metric tons of CO2e. This is comparable to the carbon generated from:

  • 9,000 gallons of gasoline
  • 86,000 pounds of coal
  • 185 barrels of oil

STUDENT LEADERSHIP & INVOLVEMENT

The inclusion of renewable technologies on the Life Sciences Building has been spearheaded by students of UW-Solar since the Fall of 2015. The students working on this project have had opportunities to interact and work with architects from Perkins+Will, contractors from Skanska, and professionals working at the UW.

Numerous updates are necessary before our RFP can be submitted. Luckily, new and returning members of UW-Solar will be available this fall quarter to address these tasks. Students involved in this project will learn:

  • Reading and interpreting construction documents
  • Revising our original design to match the As-Built documents for the rooftop
  • Cost and energy performance estimating

Students will also get the opportunity to select a contracting firm to award the bid using an unbiased, multicriteria analysis. As one criteria, we are including a section within our RFP wherein the contracting firm must propose a “student education and inclusion” plan. This plan should give students the opportunity to tour a construction site, learn from professionals about solar installation, and participating in the commissioning process upon successful construction of the project.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH

The rooftop array will be installed with a Supervisory Controls and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. This system would record performance data from each individual panel, which allows for design optimization and simplifies maintenance. In addition, this system stores the performance data, which can be analyzed and presented. A virtual dashboard displaying energy metrics of the LSB will be placed within the 1st floor lobby space. Our SCADA system would be incorporated into the presentation for this dashboard. Students and visitors would be able to interact with the dashboard and explore the building’s energy metrics and sustainable features, including the energy provided by the rooftop array.

The unique aspects of this project make the LSB a leading example of sustainability in higher education and demonstrates the University’s commitment to investing in alternative energy sources. The project has been highly publicized, and the addition of a large rooftop solar array would certainly garner attention from news sources and the student body. This could also serve as a flagship project to highlight the new partnership between the CSF and the STF.

ACCOUNTABILITY

UW-Solar has investigated ongoing accountability for management and maintenance of the solar installations, as well as long-term leadership considerations for the project as it relates to executive stakeholders, logistical management, and staffing and budget impacts of relevant stakeholder organizations.

ESTIMATED BUDGET

The following table is a cost estimate for the rooftop array. The budget is meant to be an estimate and will be revised by our contractor bids. Please see the key below for explanation.

Infrastructure Cost ($) IT Cost ($)
Panels 80,000* Inverters 50,000*
Wiring 15,000* Metering 7,000***
Racking System 10,000*** Weather Station 500***
Labor 100,000** Transformer 2,500***
Permitting 500*** IT equipment 4,000***
Commissioning 5,000* Shipping 2,500***
Operations & Maintenance 3,000***    
Subtotal 213,500 Subtotal 66,500
Contingency 20,000*** Total 300,000

*Items intended to be funded by original CSF award
**Items intended to be funded by outside donation
***Items intended to be funded by this application

If we are not awarded the additional $50,000 requested in this application, we will proceed with the $250,000 to construct a reduced array of approximately 80 kW.

PROJECT TIMELINE

The following is a potential project timeline:

  • CSF Full Proposal Due- TBD
  • CSF Award Notification- Late October, 2018 (TBD)
  • Request for Proposal Submitted- Early November 2018
  • Contractor Selected: Early 2019
  • Construction Begins: Late Spring 2019
  • Construction Completed: Summer 2019

CONTACT INFORMATION

Life Sciences Building Project Managers:

Urban Infrastructure Lab Manager - Stefanie Young, sy10@uw.edu

Contact Information
Primary Contact First & Last Name: 
Alexander Ratcliff
Email: 
alexr529@uw.edu
Full Proposal
This will display after the CSF committee has reviewed and approved your LOI, and after you have received the link to edit your application.
Executive Summary: 

UW-Solar has been working with the architects and engineers designing the Life Sciences Building for the last four years. We were part of the proposal, funding, and installation of the Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) fins on the South facade of the building, but have always been aiming to install a larger and more efficient solar panel system on the roof. This proposal is requesting $50,000 to complete the necessary funding for a rooftop solar array on the Life Sciences Building- the new home of UW Biology that was completed this fall. The proposed design is a 100 kW array that would produce an estimated 105,000 kWh/yr, which is equivalent to more than 78 metric tons of CO2e. This system is estimated to cost a total of $300,000, of which $250,000 has already been secured. Therefore, we are requesting the final $50,000 to allow us to fully build-out this system, otherwise we will need to reduce the size to 80 kW. We are hoping the funds for this project come from the new collaboration between CSF and the Student Technology Fee (STF). Producing energy by conventional power plants produces large amounts of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. By generating energy on-site using solar energy, this project would decrease the carbon footprint of the Life Sciences Building and the University as a whole. This project would provide three distinct benefits: an economic return to the University, an increase in the sustainability efforts of the campus, and exposing UW-solar students to real-world engineering design and communication with industry professionals. If funded, this project would be the fifth successful rooftop installation designed by UW-Solar, and complete our efforts on the Life Sciences Building. UW-Solar is part of the Urban Infrastructure Lab in the Department of Urban Design & Planning. We are an interdisciplinary student team that work to promote, design, and install solar installation on campus. For more information, visit our website https://blogs.uw.edu/urbanlab/projects/uw-solar/.

Total amount requested from the CSF: 
$50 000
This funding request is a: 
Grant
Budget: 
This budget is subject change, and a revised budget will be submitted with bid from our Request for Proposal.
ItemCost Expected Funding Source
Solar Panels$80,000Original CSF Award
Wiring$15,000Original CSF Award
Racking System$10,000This Application
Labor$100,000Donation
Permitting$500This Application
Inverters$50,000Original CSF Award
Metering$7,000This Application
Weather Station$500This Application
Transformer$2,500This Application
IT Equipment$4,000This Application
Comissioning$5,000Original CSF Award
Operations & Maintenance$3,000This Application
Shipping$2,500This Application
Contingency$20,000This Application
Non-CSF Sources: 
Previous awards given to this project.
SourceAmountFunding TypeNote
CSF$150,000GrantPreliminary grant awarded to the project in 2017
Undisclosed Donor$100,000DonationDonation given to fund this rooftop project
Project Completion Total: 
$300 000
Sustainability Impact: 
Energy Use
Sustainability Challenge: 

With this solar installation, we will be reducing the University’s carbon footprint by reducing the amount of CO2 and CO2e produced through conventional energy production. The carbon footprint of the Life Sciences building, due to its lab spaces and large physical footprint, is relatively high. The rooftop photovoltaic panels will help reduce the carbon footprint of the LIfe Sciences building as they will be using solar (renewable) energy in addition to the traditional energy production methods, thus increasing its energy self sufficiency. The rooftop space can accommodate 100kW solar array (approximately 335 standard panels) which will generate 105,000 kWh/year (estimate made using the NREL PVWatt Calculator). This is equivalent to more than 78 metric tons of CO2e, which can be compared to the amount of carbon generated from:

  • 9,000 gallons of gasoline
  • 86,000 pounds of coal
  • 185 barrels of oil
Explain how the impacts will be measured: 

The Life Sciences Building has installed a virtual dashboard in the first floor lobby of the building. This dashboard receives information from meters installed throughout the building, and students can interact with the dashboard to see the real-time and historical data of several building metrics including, but not limited to, the energy production from the BIPV panels and the volume of water recycled by the lab-water recovery system. The infrastructure necessary to connect the rooftop system to this system is already in place, and simply requires installing the system. In this way, students will be able to see the measured electrical production of the rooftop system recorded by the system meters. The dashboard will present data on the amount of kWh produced and may have an option to see the equivalent CO2e.

Education & Outreach: 

The Life Sciences building contains a virtual dashboard that will enable interested students and visitors to experience and learn about how the BIPV panels are helping the building be more energy efficient by following the panels’ energy production. They will also be able to monitor the amount of water that will be recycled by the lab-water recovery system. The dashboard is an interactive system and will be able to engage students and visitors by giving them live updates.

The students who are directly involved with UW Solar will be able to experience a real life working environment by being present on the construction site and taking part in the process. Professionals will personally interact with the students and educate them about the detail of the actual installation as well as revise their design and make any appropriate adjustments. One of the scoring guidelines of the RFP will be a “student engagement” proposal that the contractor will be required to submit. Typically, we receive bids that allow students to join walkthroughs of the site, witness the construction of the array, review the construction documents with the project engineer, and participate in the commissioning process.

The Life Science building BIPV project will be thoroughly discussed on the UW Solar website as well as being highlighted in the upcoming edition of the Civil and Environmental Engineering newsletter.

Student Involvement: 

Over the three years that this project has been in development, a number of students have been involved. The leadership team for this project has varied between one to five people over this tenure, with Alex Ratcliff as the long-standing project manager.

The two students currently leading this project are Shivani Joshi and Alex Ratcliff. Aside from these two, there are more than thirty students actively involved in UW Solar, of which a number have been partially involved in the project when necessary. Shivani and Alex stand as the two principal students during this grant proposal stage, but at least two other students will be brought onto the team during the drafting of the Request for Proposal (RFP).

Shivani has recently joined the Life Sciences team and has been helping out in the finalisation of the CSF full proposal which includes revisiting cost and energy performance estimations. She will also be involved in future planning including contractor selection, communication with professional architects and engineers, and interpreting submitted construction documents.

Alex has been the project manager for the Life Sciences Building for the last three years. He assisted on the BIPV installation, was the student representative for the Putting the Green in Greenhouse project, and has been working diligently for the installation of a full-sized solar array on the roof. Alex’s primary responsibilities include drafting construction documents, communication with Devin Kleiner, Robert Goff, and other building managers, meeting with UW administrators to discuss the project, and the writing and review of all official documentation.

Timeline: 
Timeline is subject to change and will need coordination with UW Capital Projects &amp Development and Procurement
TaskTimeframeEstimated Completion Date
CSF Proposal Submitted2 weeksOctober 15th, 2018
CSF Award NotificationN/AEarly November, 2018
Communication with CPD and UW Procurement2 monthsEnd of November/Early December, 2018
Request for Proposal (RFP) Drafted & Submitted2 monthsEnd of November/Early December, 2018
Bids ReceivedN/AJanuary/February, 2019
Contractor Selected1 weekFebruary/March, 2019
Array Constructed4 monthsEnd of Summer, 2019
Year: 
Amount Awarded: 
$100,000
Potential Funding Reductions: 
Funding reductions to this project will reduce the size of the solar array that we can install on the roof. The number of panels will reduce linearly with an industry estimated $3/W relationship. Using a standard 300W panel, we would adjust the size of the array to the projected values given these reductions: -5% decrease: 99 kW array -10% decrease: 98 kW array -20% decrease: 96 kW array -Grant rejected: 83 kW array It is important to note that it is very difficult to expand solar arrays once construction is completed due to inverter, transformer, and wiring selections. Therefore, the array size will be limited to the budget submitted with our RFP, which will be dictated by this award.
Project Longevity: 

All of the solar panels, electrical equipment, and metering equipment to be installed will come with warranties to cover malfunctions, deficiencies, failures, etc. that typically span from 10-30 years. Warranties will be included in the specifications of the bids we receive. The lifespan of solar arrays are generally expected to exceed the warranty period; solar arrays can last up to 40-50 years if properly maintained.

The array will require scheduled maintenance in the form of yearly cleaning and equipment checks. The details of scheduled maintenance will be outlined in an Operations & Maintenance (O&M) plan submitted by the contractors along with their bid. The long-term maintenance will become the responsibility of UW Facilities and the Building Manager. Unused funds from this project budget will be transferred to UW Facilities to support the long-term maintenance.

Project status: 
Active: Post-implementation phase