California Center for Sustainable Energy

Mission Heights Condominiums Unveils New Clean Energy System

CCSE presented a $72,523 check as the first multifamily solar water heating system rebate awarded in San Diego County from the California Solar Initiative ( CSI) Solar Thermal Program on Thursday, July 14, to the homeowners association of Mission Heights Condominiums in Mission Valley. A “switching on” and CSI rebate check presentation ceremony was held, activating the system that supplies hot water to 116 residences at an annual energy cost savings of nearly $11,000. City of San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders was among those speaking at the event.

Adroit Solar/Energy/Design, a leading San Diego designer and installation contractor of large-scale solar water heating systems and other renewable energy and energy efficient technologies, installed the zero-emissions system. They installed 72 Solar Thermal collectors manufactured by Vaillant Solar Systems that will provide an estimated 3,800 gallons of hot water a day to the Mission Heights Condominiums that were built in 1979.

“Solar water heating is perfectly suited for condominiums and apartment buildings because a single system can supply the hot water needs for many residents at once, improving the efficiency and long-term sustainability of their buildings,” said Irene Stillings, CCSE executive director. “The Mission Heights Homeowners Association has taken a significant step forward in reducing their energy use and helping to curb greenhouse gas emissions with clean solar energy.”

In addition to reducing energy costs for the Mission Heights residents, the project’s environmental benefits include cutting natural gas consumption by 5,690 therms per year and carbon dioxide emissions by about 32 tons per year.

Spearheading the solar water heating installation at Mission Heights was Aaron Sathrum, president of the Mission Heights Home Owners Association.

“Due to the attractive energy savings, and the CSI thermal rebate program, solar water heating was a good financial decision for the homeowners association,” Sathrum said. “It will help keep our dues low for many years and increase property values now and into the future. Every homeowners association should strongly consider installing Solar Thermal systems for their residents.”

“Part of the reservations many homeowners, business owners and some contractors have about the actual costs to implement these types of energy saving technologies are due to their lack of familiarity with the rebates now available through the CSI Thermal Program and federal tax credits, nor how to fully utilize them – it is a somewhat complex process,” said David Demarest, business development manager at Adroit Solar/Energy/Design. “Once shown the actual costs to implement these technologies, after rebates and tax credits are taken into consideration, making the decision to adopt them is very easy because it is financially logical.”

Adroit Solar/Energy/Design also recently completed a solar water heating installation at Hill ‘N Dale Townhomes on Mission Gorge Road in San Diego consisting of 90 Vaillant solar collectors providing 3,370 gallons per day and displacing 5,419 therms of natural gas a year. This multifamily solar water heating installation also qualifies for a CSI incentive from CCSE.

The California Public Utilities Commission established the statewide Solar Thermal rebate program in January 2010 to help reduce the up-front cost of solar hot water systems. Rebates are available for almost all single-family home owners to install solar water heating systems as well as certain commercial and multifamily applications. For information, go to www.energycenter.org/swh or call 877-333-7947.

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