Green building ratings require covered parking to reduce urban hear island effect. Hence roof covering of high SRI material/coating is recommended to address this. Though it solves the problem, it wastes the solar energy and also might cause glare issues for surrounding structures from the reflected rays.
Why reflect and waste when we can harness and gain ?
Solar energy is a free and abundant source of power. If we can find some way to utilize it, we solve the urban heat island issue, generate free electricity and spread a green message !
Fortunately we already know how to do that. Yes. Solar Photo Voltaic panels.
Solar PV panels can double as parking cover to facilitate shading and generate enough power during the day to juice the lights for night time. Most importantly they produce maximum power during peak solar heat - balancing the power consumption of peak cooling loads.
Now the amount of power generated might not be much. We see huge Solar PV panel farms, spanning vast areas. But land unavailability locates them far off from the cities. So power transmission costs are high with added expense of infrastructure and equipment. With land prices sky rocketing, we cant afford to erect solar farms in the city. So we go up and put it on the roofs wherever we can.
Its not preferred since mostly they are an eye sore, but parking lots don't get marks for their beauty. They need to be efficient and efficiency includes cost and the environment. And mostly just cost. Because the solar parking cover reduce the need for separate cover and separate solar PV panels, combining the technologies to reduce cost and increase benefits.
Another important additional benefit for potential Green building certifications- credits require provision of facility for electric charged vehicles. Now they can be powered from the electricity generated by the solar roof and its absolutely free !
So whats my point ? Yes green building certifications promise a standard of sustainability, but we can go further than the recommendations to ensure smarter greener living !
Source : Shoup, Donald (2012) "Solar Parking Requirements" Access Almanac
Why reflect and waste when we can harness and gain ?
Solar energy is a free and abundant source of power. If we can find some way to utilize it, we solve the urban heat island issue, generate free electricity and spread a green message !
Fortunately we already know how to do that. Yes. Solar Photo Voltaic panels.
Solar PV panels can double as parking cover to facilitate shading and generate enough power during the day to juice the lights for night time. Most importantly they produce maximum power during peak solar heat - balancing the power consumption of peak cooling loads.
Now the amount of power generated might not be much. We see huge Solar PV panel farms, spanning vast areas. But land unavailability locates them far off from the cities. So power transmission costs are high with added expense of infrastructure and equipment. With land prices sky rocketing, we cant afford to erect solar farms in the city. So we go up and put it on the roofs wherever we can.
Its not preferred since mostly they are an eye sore, but parking lots don't get marks for their beauty. They need to be efficient and efficiency includes cost and the environment. And mostly just cost. Because the solar parking cover reduce the need for separate cover and separate solar PV panels, combining the technologies to reduce cost and increase benefits.
Another important additional benefit for potential Green building certifications- credits require provision of facility for electric charged vehicles. Now they can be powered from the electricity generated by the solar roof and its absolutely free !
So whats my point ? Yes green building certifications promise a standard of sustainability, but we can go further than the recommendations to ensure smarter greener living !
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| Solar PV panel covered parking Source : www.munichreamerica.com/ |
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