California Center for Sustainable Energy

Providing a home-away-from-home for families and their children with serious, often life-threatening illnesses, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego (RMHC-SD) is a welcoming place to cope when lives are turned upside down. Now the house’s warming comfort will benefit from clean energy with the addition of a new solar electric system.

The Serra Mesa facility, now in its second year of operation, became the first Ronald McDonald House in California to install a solar photovoltaic system, helping to offset electrical energy needs for serving some 20,000 families a year. The 116- kW, rooftop system comprised of 518 Canadian Solar panels installed by HelioPower will produce an average of 147,846 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. The system qualified for a performance-based rebate from the California Solar Initiative of approximately $167,000.

The solar installation is part of the charity’s pursuit of U.S. Green Building Council LEED certification, according to Bill Lennartz, RMHC-SD president and CEO. The house was built according to strict green building standards, using a combination of highly efficient mechanical systems, lighting and building envelope. Materials used to create the building contain significant amounts of recycled content. Additionally, the organization provides recycling collection stations for staff members and family guests.

CCSE salutes the Ronald McDonald House for its adoption of solar energy and energy efficiency and its compassion and assistance given to families in need.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities – San Diego

RMHC-SD has served the local community for 30 years and built the current house atop a six-story parking garage across from Rady Children’s Hospital in 2009, a 47-bedroom facility that quadrupled the size of the old house. In addition to accommodations, their Family Care Center offers dining services, a computer lab, arts and crafts room, children’s play room, teen center, reflection room, outdoor play areas and other amenities. Ten percent of funding for Ronald McDonald House comes from local McDonald’s restaurants while the remaining 90 percent comes from individual and corporate donations. For information about how you can get involved or make a donation, call (858) 467-4750 or visit the RMHC-SD website at www.rmhcsd.org.

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