Project Description

• New 60,000 sq. ft. manufacturing building in Allentown, PA
• Installation completed in October 2006
• Design objective includes:
  • Heating energy savings
  • Comfortable air ventilation year round
  •  Positive air pressure

Solar Collector and Air Distribution System

• Collector faces 16 degrees west of south
• Collector panel area 22 ½ ft high by total of 160 ft wide
• Total collector area 3600 sq. ft.
• Kynar 500® PVDF/ Hylar 5000® PVDF finish in Classic Bronze color
• Solar absorptivity of 0.91
• Plenum depth 9 inches
• Total airflow rate 13,000 cubic feet per minute (cfm), delivered by two 30-inch diameter fans
• Flow rate of 3.6 cfm for each square foot of collector wall (design range is 2 to 8 cfm) 
• Air distribution through perforated ducts destratifies overheated air at the ceiling

Annual Renewable
• 300 million BTUs
• Average air temperature rise 12.7 of @ 3.6 cfm/sq. ft. during daylight hours for 9-month season of use.
• Rise of temperature over ambient on a sunny afternoon is typically 55°

Greenhouse Gas Reduction
• Annual Greenhouse Gas Reduction 37,600 lbs./yr

Financial Summary
• $112,500 total cost includes wall panels and accessories, fans, filters, silencer, all ducting and controllers
• $78,750 net cost after 30% Federal Tax Credit

Energy Savings and ROI
• Average annual energy savings $6,400 or 30%
• Annual energy savings $1.78 per sq. ft. of collector wall
• Total projected energy savings over 30-year project life is
approximately $305,000
• Equity Payback with MACRS depreciation less than 7 years