Rocklin, CA – ECO:LOGIC Engineering is pleased to announce the addition of a new photovoltaic (PV) solar array on its own 20,000 square foot rooftop. This solar system provides enough power during the day to supply electricity for 60 employees. In addition, ECO:LOGIC optimized and upgraded all fixtures inside the building to save on energy consumption. The combination of the solar project and the fixture upgrades, results in a corporate headquarters that is electricity neutral on an annual basis.
With great demand for energy and high utility costs, ECO:LOGIC made the decision to use their own electrical, mechanical, structural and instrumentation engineers to design and install the PV system. As Mohandas Gandhi said, ‘Be the change you want to see in the world.’ The ECO:LOGIC team wanted to be that change and make a difference that would in turn, make them leaders in helping the environment. ‘Our folks are pretty meticulous. They designed a well thought out, robust system and enjoyed building it too,’ said CEO, David Bennett.
ECO:LOGIC purchased the PV panels and the DC/AC inverter, and designed the complete layout, roof mounts, electrical, and instrumentation system in-house. A common challenge with roof mounted solar systems is the weight, since many commercial building roofs are not designed to support the added weight of a solar system. ECO:LOGIC’s structural engineers analyzed the trusses and designed simple metal braces at strategic points to add the required reinforcement.
Following design and permitting, ECO:LOGIC employees completed all construction of the PV system including the structural upgrades to the building, fabricating the solar panel racks, mounting the panels, setting the inverter, and making all of the electrical connections necessary for a fully operational system.
Financial payback for ECO:LOGIC’s headquarters PV system is predicted to be just less than 6 years. ‘Whatever happens with the cost of electricity in the years ahead, our cost will still be zero,’ stated Dave Bennett.
‘Solar is no longer just a cool concept here. We have first hand knowledge of how these systems should be designed, how they are built, how they can be optimized, and how they can be accessorized with controls and monitoring equipment,’ said Dave Bennett, CEO. This type of system has direct applications for ECO:LOGIC’s water agency clients. Pumping and treating water has been identified by the California Energy Commission as one of the most significant electricity uses in the state. Reducing energy use in the water industry is a high priority for water agencies and power producers.
As a result of this experience, ECO:LOGIC has made itself ready to provide a higher level of service to its water and wastewater utility clients as well as increased its own sense of corporate environmental stewardship.
ECO:LOGIC is a consulting engineering firm based in Rocklin, California. ECO:LOGIC employs over 130 professionals who provide consulting services including planning, permitting, design, construction management and operations of water and wastewater facilities to cities, districts and water agencies throughout California and Nevada.
