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Solar panel installation at the new Hunters Point Community Center in San Francisco featuring custom Rexroth aluminum framing reduces installation time by 50 percent and costs by 40 percent, becoming part of a standard solution for industry leader, Project Frog.
Challenge:
Create a slide-in racking system for the installation of micromorph thin-film solar modules at Hunters Point Community Center in San Francisco.
Rexroth Solution:
Bosch Solar Energy used custom-engineered Rexroth aluminum structural framing, mounts and accessories to create a standard product offering that can be tailored for specific solar installation requirements. |
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Rexroth Results:
- Installation time reduced by 50 percent using the slide-in system, compared with a traditional bracket system
- Equipment costs reduced by 40 percent with the elimination of brackets and clamps
- Mounting system is secured with just 21 penetration points on the membrane roof, drastically reducing the risk for leaks and improving overall energy efficiency of the building
- Aluminum framing is rugged and weather-resistant for more durability and an aesthetically pleasing look.
Download the complete case study (PDF - 642 KB)
Slide-in Rexroth aluminum framing system reduces solar installation time and costs; completes sleek architectural design for sustainable building
Project Frog in San Francisco, CA (www.projectfrog.com) is a clean technology company that incorporates a sophisticated approach - including parametric design, precision fabrication, energy modeling, lean manufacturing and continuous monitoring—to create sustainable, efficient structures that reduce overall operating costs and also meet stringent Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) requirements.
Project Frog was chosen to create a 5,000-square-foot building in Hunters Point, an evolving neighborhood in the southeastern part of San Francisco. The solution is extremely energy-efficient: Project Frog estimates that maximized heating, lighting and cooling efficiencies in the community center will surpass California’s Title 24 requirements for energy efficiency standards for nonresidential buildings by at least 54 percent.
Project Frog turned to Bosch Solar Energy Group (www.bosch-solarenergy.com) to supply photovoltaic technology for the roof of the new community center. The rooftop array is comprised of 70 micromorph thin-film solar modules mounted and installed using the Bosch Solar Rack, a convenient slide-in mounting system developed jointly with the Bosch Rexroth Corporation. |
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The solar array follows the roofline and slopes to the south, improving the power output of the system.
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Working with Rexroth’s engineering team, Project Frog drastically reduced the number of roof penetrations to 21 locations.
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The black-glass appearance of the panels, combined with the low-profile racking system, proved to be an excellent match to the architecture of the Project Frog building, while also providing a source of clean renewable energy. The array generates 25 percent of the energy required to operate the building over the course of a year.
The panels are roughly three feet by four feet, and the frameless design of the modules was an excellent fit for the slide-in racking system, which was created with Rexroth’s bolt-together aluminum structural framing. The aluminum profiles are weather-resistant, enabling it to withstand the elements of Hunters Point, which overlooks the San Francisco Bay. Its rugged design contributes to the durability of each installation but also helps aesthetically; continuing to look clean and neat over time without requiring additional painting or other maintenance.
The system also reduced the number of penetration points on the building’s membrane roof. Each of these points, which must be cut and sealed, has the potential to leak, eventually reducing overall building efficiency. Rexroth’s engineering team and Project Frog worked together to increase the length of the racking profiles to span a larger distance and bear directly on the building’s trusses. Typically, there are 200 roof penetrations; on this installation, there are only 21 such locations.
Download the complete case study (PDF - 642 KB) |
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