This project was done as an argument for the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s Student Life Center to have solar panels. This presentation includes both environmental reasons for the addition of solar panels as well as economic reasons.

1. Solar Energy at the Student Life
Center
SOLARALLIANCESUMMER2012
COM344,Dr.C.Becker
R.Govendo,J.Buracker,D.Veloria,H.Gomes

2. Why Solar at the Student
Life Center?
The Student Life Center is
one of the newest buildings
on Campus and was built
with green practices.

3. • No parking was added for this building, allowing more area to be used for open green space
• -Bike racks are provided and bicycle commuters can use shower in the locker rooms to clean up before
school or work
• - water sprayed periodically during construction to keep down on air pollution
• -parking stall conversion to "carpool parking"
• -low flow shower heads, dual flush toilets
• -planting of indigenous plants around premises, lower maintenance
• -overhead lighting utilize sensors which monitor natural light entering and adds artificial light when
needed
• -CO2 sensors monitor interior CO2 levels and bring in fresh outside air when CO2 levels exceed
threshold-cooling of rooms have specific cooling systems for better efficiency
• -locker rooms are passively cooled and circulate outside air
• -excess "cool" air from domestic hot water heating can be captured and circulated in the lobby
• -Utilizes a well insulated hot water heater that will reduce energy consumption
• -roof paint reflects more sunlight than traditional paint in addition to two extra layers of insulation
under the roof
• -Smart orientation maximizes natural day light, south wall receives more direct rays and is made of
concrete whereas the north wall receives less sun and is made of glass which offers a great view of the
pool
• - louvers on raised portions of skylights open to release hot air and pull in air from louvers at ground
level of outer walls.
• water heater: has a heat pump water heating system with a natural gas backup system. Data logs
show that the back up system was only activated once for two hours in the whole building time frame.
• Student Life Center Green Features
– Taken from SLC website

4. The Student Life Center is a
prime location to showcase
and demonstrate
Sustainable building
practices in addition to
paving the way for future
solar use and long term cost
savings.

5. • In an article published by Arizona State University Nov 29, 2010 Mathew Croucher
stated that:
• “Hawaii is the most desirable location for solar deployment. Right now, it has the
highest cost of electricity, and the electricity has a relatively high carbon content.
It also has a high level of solar insolation and faces a relatively cheap cost of
deployment.”-
• The Top 11 states that would benefit from solar deployment solely for purposes of self-
sufficiency are:
• 1. Hawaii
• 2. New Mexico
• 3. Colorado
• 4. Missouri
• 5. Georgia
• 6. Texas
• 7. Arkansas
• 8. Alabama (tie)
• 8. Mississippi (tie)
• 10. Oklahoma (tie)
• 10. Wisconsin (tie)
•
W. P. Carey School of Business assistant research professor Matthew
Croucher's new study ranks states on their solar potential.
https://asunews.asu.edu/20101122_business_solarrankings
Hawaii needs Solar

6. Solar is Expensive BUT:
While Solar is indeed expensive it’s benefits outweigh initial costs.
In an article by Duane Shimogawa published April 19, 2012 (Pacific Business
News) He stated that:
-“According to the Blue Planet Foundation’s Solar Tax Credit Economic Impact
Study, every commercial solar tax credit dollar invested yields $13.37 that
stays in Hawaii and $44.70 in additional sales, which generates $3.17 in new
tax revenue.”
-“Additionally, for a typical 118-kilowatt commercial photovoltaic installation,
the state gains 2.8 local jobs each year over the 30-year life of the system, the
report said.”
Duane Shimogawa
Reporter- Pacific Business News
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/blog/2012/04/study-hawaii-solar-tax-
credits-pay-off.html

7. Solar helps the environment and provides Green Jobs
locally
According to the state Department of Business, Economic
Development and Tourism, solar accounts for 15 percent of all
construction expenditures in Hawaii, with the solar industry
employing more than 2,000 people locally.
Not only does solar give back to the environment, it provides jobs
for the community and keeps the money in Hawaii.

8. How about some figures?
Through Email correspondence with Dr. Cam Muir who is a
professor at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, he answered some
important questions about the current solar situation at UHH in
addition to giving insight.
“We have just turned on almost 83kW worth of PV generation
in "Redwood City, Campus Center renovation, and the "Science
and Technology" building. By early next year we should have an
additional almost 500kW worth of generation with the new
Student Services Center building and associated buildings”
-An average commercial building would need an 118kW PV
system which means most buildings on campus would need
slightly less or more PV.
“My rough calculation is that by the end of next year, we should
be producing on the order of one million kW.h of electricity
with solar PV, on campus and at our Honoka`a campus; ~8% of
our total use. My guess is that SLC uses ~90kW at peak usage
but don't know their their total kW.h consumption”
Dr. Cam Muir
Associate Professor
Ecological Genetics
Sustainability
Coordinator

9. Concerns and Possible solutions
Solar is expensive but there are many grants, tax
breaks, and newer cheaper PV technology
available.
One of the biggest underlying problems with
switching to solar power is the difficulties of
integrating PV power into current electrical
infrastructure. Many times the current system
cannot sustain the solar load.
The following slides are an excerpt from an article by
Jeff Gimore of Ecovillage at Ithaca from the June-July
2012 issue of Home Power Magazine that Dr. Becker
presented to our group.

10. An example of
how the
Ecovillage
Ithaca wired
in their PV
system.

11. A plea from the Students of the University of
Hawaii at Hilo
Through the information presented and taught in our COM
344 class from Dr. Catherine Becker, we the Members of the
Solar Alliance Group (catchy group name eh?) Believe that
Solar power is the future of Hawaii and any isolated land mass
at that.
With the amount of fossil fuel, reliance on external resources,
and unnecessary carbon output, Hawaii can only benefit from
solar power. The costs will always be high, and the technology
never quite there, but eventually we will have to work
together to educate and enlighten those who believe that this
current means of life will go indefinitely and demonstrate
through sustainable practices we can stand together without
any external assistance or resources and preserve the land for
future generations.
Why not lead the way in sustainability? Start off small, lead by
example, and let it ripple out.
Thank you to Dr. Becker for opening our eyes and Dr. Muir for the valuable information