Commercial Solar: NC, SC, VA and Beyond
Our team of licensed and nationally certified solar technicians, engineers, electricians and building scientists has the experience to design sustainable energy solutions that maximize your financial investment while also meeting your energy and environmental goals. We can design the perfect system, down to the very last kilowatt. Solar is becoming a valuable strategy for commercial property owners nationwide, and we can help you leverage your sustainable energy investments to generate public awareness and education. Please take a look at some of our projects below and let us know how we can help you. Whether you want a two-kilowatt solar system or an entire field of PV, our commercial solar team has the experience to do the job right in North Carolina and throughout the Southeast.
BMW's Solar Billboard In South Carolina
Client
BMW
Location
Spartanburg, SC
Click here to see the Google Street View of this project.
Project Details
- The 94.08 kW system runs for more than 200 yards alongside Interstate 85
- The 400 panels provide all the power to BMW's Zentrum Museum and visitors' center
- The facility also has three electric vehicle charging stations
Charlotte's Newest Downtown Landmarks
Client
Discovery Place and Spotlight Solar
Location
Charlotte, NC
Project Details
- Disctinctive orange and blue "solar trees" are set atop Discovery Place's Carol Grotnes Belk Parking Complex
- 20-foot tall structures are designed to spark interest in learning more about solar power
- Kiosk in the museum's lobby shows the impact of seasons, shading, angle, etc. Click here to see the current display.
- Check out WSOC's story about the project!
"Solar Double Cropping" at Piedmont Biofuels
Client
Miraverse Power & Light, Piedmont Biofuels, Piedmont Biofarm
Location
Pittsboro, NC
Project Details
- 92.16 kW PV system on the Piedmont Biofuels Campus
- Innovative design allows Piedmont Biofarm to continue using the land for agriculture under the solar array, which is raised ten feet above the ground
- Check out our video about how the project came to be, and why it's important!
Raleigh Car Dealership Gives Airline Passengers A Solar Sightseeing Opportunity
Client
Westgate Chrysler Jeep
Location
Raleigh, NC
Click here to see a bird's eye view of this project.
Project Details
- 98.7 kW photovoltaic system on the roof of the dealership's service bay
- The array includes 420 LG modules, which will generate more than 129-megawatt hours of clean energy a year
- Westgate is the first car dealership to take advantage of Progress Energy's SunSense Commercial Solar PV Program
- The project is located just off the runway of the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, affording a great view of the system to people flying in and out of RDU. Look for it next time you take off!
Duke Chapel: A Beautiful Backdrop For Solar
Client
Holocene, LLC and Duke University
Location
Durham, NC
Project Details
- 45 solar thermal collectors on the roof of the Bryan Center, Duke University's student union and performing-arts theater
- The system provides hot water for several dining facilities and a variety of daily student activities
1-MW For Nation's Oldest Family-Owned Mushroom Farm
Client
Marlboro Mushrooms
Location
West Grove, PA
Project Details
- 1.13-Megawatt array includes 4,953 SunPower modules
- SunPower T0 single-access tracking system
- System provides 100% of the farm's electricity usage
Solar and Wind Power Working Together
Client
Nypro
Location
Mebane, NC
Click here to see a bird's eye view of this project.
Project Details
- 222 kW rooftop PV system for one of the world's biggest employee-owned companies
- The project consists of 1,008 REC 220-watt PV modules
- Combined energy from the solar array and four wind turbines on site generate enough power to offset six of Nypro's massive 200-ton injection plastic molding machines
Mecklenburg County Goes Big With Solar Thermal
Client
Mecklenburg County and SolTherm
Location
Various sites around Charlotte, NC
Project Details
- 141 solar hot water collectors on five buildings:
- 64 at Mecklenburg County Jail North
- 32 at Metro School, which serves cognitively disabled students
- 21 at the Medical Examiner's Office
- 16 at Central Piedmont Community College's Culinary Arts building
- 8 at Wallace H. Kuralt Centre, which houses the Department of Social Services
- The rooftop featuring 64 collectors is the most SEM has ever put on a single building
- Mecklenburg County will avoid using more than 1.5 million cubic feet of natural gas per year
The Power Flower
Client
Marbles Kids Museum
Location
Raleigh, NC
Project Details
- SEM partnered with Marbles Kids Museum and Clearscapes to design and install this educational/artistic solar PV project
- The 22-foot tall metal flower features a pair of 220 W Sanyo HIT modules
- As the rotating structure is turned to face into/away from the sun, the flower head on top spins faster or slower, giving children a hands-on demonstration of how solar power works
- Check out our video of the Power Flower in action!
A Megawatt of Solar For SAS
Client
SAS Institute
Location
Cary, NC
Project Details
- SAS solar farm includes more than 5,000 modules
- Single-access tracker
PV & Thermal for the Marine Corps
Client
Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany and Suffolk Construction
Location
Albany, GA
Project Details
- Two-pronged project features 50 solar thermal collectors and 75 kW of PV
- SEM installed both systems and helped design the arrays with TLC Engineers
- The solar installations are on the Bachelor Enlisted Quarters (BEQ) housing facility
Wolfpack Red goes Green at NCSU
Client
North Carolina State University and Schneider Electric
Location
Raleigh, NC
Click here to see a bird's eye view of the system.
Project Details
- 30 Solar Thermal Water Heating Collectors
- 112 Solar Pool Heating Collectors (one of the largest such systems in North Carolina)
- Mounted on the roof of NCSU's Carmichael Gym
Three Types of Solar for Davidson College's Baker Sports Complex
Client
Davidson College
Location
Davidson, NC
Project Details
- 94 kW photovoltaic system
- 2-collector solar thermal system
- 64-collector solar pool heating system
- Check out our time-lapse video of the installation!
Solar Stays Local at the Vineyards
Client
RayLen Vineyards
Location
Mocksville, NC
Project Details
- 9.88 kilowatt solar PV system with 104 thin film modules
- All companies involved in the project - racking, solar integrator, and panel manufacturer - are NC based businesses.
Danville Community Market Goes Solar
Client
City of Danville
Location
Danville, VA
Project Details
- 36.19 kW solar PV system
- 154 roof-mounted solar panels
- Project was funded by ARRA grants
Solar Thermal at SAS Headquarters
Client
SAS Headquarters
Location
Cary, NC
Project Details
- 24-collector, roof-top solar thermal system
- Provides hot water for employee cafeteria
Delta Products
Client
Delta Products
Location
Research Triangle Park, NC
Project Details
- 30 kilowatt solar PV system
- Was largest roof-mounted, corporate solar PV system in the state of NC
Glenaire Retirement Community
Client
Glenaire Retirement Community
Location
Cary, NC
Project Details
- 6-collector pre-heating solar water heating system installed for cafeteria
- Provides 20% of the cafeteria's hot water needs
Decision Support
Client
Decision Support
Location
Charlotte, NC
Project Details
- 34 kilowatt solar PV roof-mounted system
- The second SunPower PowerGuard PV installation in NC
Hanesbrands
Client
Hanesbrands
Location
Winston-Salem, NC
Project Details
- 28-collector solar water heating system and 15 kilowatt solar PV system
- SEM was awarded the project because of our proven track record and solar engineering capabilities
Two Large-Scale Private Solar PV Systems in NC
Client
Carolina Solar Energy
Location
Raleigh, NC and Asheboro, NC
Project Details
- 75 kilowatt ground-mounted solar PV array on the campus of NC State
- 104 kilowatt solar PV system installed at the NC Zoo
- The two projects combined equal about 180 kilowatts of new solar power and offsets more than 484,430 pounds of CO2 annually - the equivalent of planting more than 37,000 trees!
Two Commercial Energy Star Buildings in Research Triangle Park
Client
Lenovo and Jones Lang Lasalle
Location
Morrisville, NC
Project Details
- Two buildings at US headquarters for Lenovo, one of the world's largest computer technology companies
- Each of the nearly-identical buildings totals 183,000 square feet
- SEM collected and analyzed data through the EPA's Portfolio Manager and gave third-party verification in order for the buildings to qualify for the Energy Star Buildings & Plants label
Military Facilities Undergo High-Performance Tests
Client
US Army Corps of Engineers
Location
Fort Lee, Virginia
Project Development
The performance tests are part of a broader initiative to achieve high-performance facilities that are more efficient, less costly to operate and maintain and more comfortable. The test results provide USACE with a verifiable measure and benchmark of the buildings' performance.
Largest Building Testing for the US Army Corps of Engineers
- Building tested for air tightness and successfully met requirements
- Tests included air barrier "blower door" testing and infrared building inspections for six 186,000 sq.ft., five-story barracks
First Successful High-Performance Testing in Norfolk District
- One of the first successful air barrier tests and thermography inspections completed on a military base in the Southeast in 2009
- Tests included air barrier "blower door" testing and infrared building inspections for a bariety of buildings from 9,000 sq. ft. to 180,000 sq. ft., including: barracks, administrative buildings, training facilities, and a soldier support center.
Energy Assessment for Randolph Arts Guild
Client
Randolph Arts Guild
Location
Asheboro, NC
Project Details
- Randolph Arts Guild officials asked SEM to provide an evaluation for opportunities to improve energy efficiency to support their environmental stewardship goals
- Recommended energy conservation measures should reduce energy prices by 23%, according to the analysis performed using eQUEST
- Replacing the roof and gutters would direct water away from the building and extend the life of the building
Energy Star Verification for 13 School Buildings
Client
Henderson County Public Schools
Location
Henderson County, NC
Project Details
- SEM conducted on-site evaluations and verifications ensuring all buildings met the EPA requirements for the ENERGY STAR for Buildings and Plants
- All 13 buildings met the requirements, meaning they are in the top 25% of energy efficient buildings for their type
- The sites included High Schools, Middle Schools, Elementary Schools and the district’s IT & Computer Training Center
Charlotte Church Gets Help with Energy & Comfort Issues
Client
Sardis Presbyterian Church
Location
Charlotte, NC
Project Details
- The administration building for Sardis Presbyterian had been a source of high energy bills and comfort issues for the past seven years
- Church officials were using the HVAC system to dehumidify air through a constant cycle of cooling and reheating
- SEM determined the air barrier for the building was virtually non-existent above the ceiling and recommended using spray foam to encapsulate the attic space
- Within a few days, church officials noted major improvements; after implementing all recommendations, the church should save more than $12,000 a year in energy cost
Historic Building
Client
Historic storefront
Location
Durham, NC
Project Details
- Energy efficiency and moisture audit conducted
- Thermal imaging, pictured to the right, revealed areas (in red) where heat was escaping
- Perimeter of the ceiling sealed to resolve moisture and energy problems
Self-Help Credit Union
Client
Self-Help Credit Union
Location
Durham, NC
Project Details
- Energy and greening audit conducted to increase responsibility in energy efficiency, building health and greenhouse gas contributions
- Self-Help Credit Union had goal of sustainable building stewardship and improving comfort control and indoor air quality
- SEM identified recommendations to decrease energy consumption and create long-term energy savings
Town of Hillsborough
Client
Town of Hillsborough
Location
Hillsborough, NC
Project Details
- Eight town-owned buildings including offices, police stations, historic properties, museums and a water treatment plant were inspected.
- SEM recommended a variety of energy and water saving opportunities.
Habitat for Humanity
Client
Habitat for Humanity
Location
Durham, NC
Project Details
- Walk-through energy and greening audit conducted
- Habitat using the space as a "hand-me-up" storefront and office space
- SEM recommended air sealing, delamping and lighting replacement, moisture management and qir quality improvements
- Audit projected significant energy savings
Commercial Produce Market
Client
Commercial Produce Market
Location
Raleigh, NC
Project Details
- Energy audit conducted for the produce facility
- Sustainability program recommended with list of energy saving measures including lighting, refrigerations, controls and optimal operation strategies.
- SEM also recommended reducing peak electric consumption and lower the billing costs
