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Solar Power! Boston Nature Center Installs New PV System

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, Anne and Peter Brooke Director at Boston Nature Center Julie Brandlen, Mass Audubon President Laura Johnson, and City of Boston Environmental and Energy Services Chief James Hunt review the 10kW solar system at Boston Nature Center.

Let the sun shine! Mass Audubon has partnered with the City of Boston to install a 44-panel ground mount photovoltaic (PV) system to help offset the Boston Nature Center's electricity needs. The PV system was made possible by the City of Boston through the George Robert White Fund, the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, and Mass Audubon.

The 10 kW system is the latest joint effort by the City of Boston and Mass Audubon to reduce heat-trapping gases that lead to climate change. The 44-panel solar array is mounted on the ground and will supply approximately 10% of the center's electricity.

Over the course of the system's 25-year lifespan, it will reduce an estimated carbon dioxide by 279,739 pounds of carbon dioxide-one of the primary drivers of climate change-than the use of electricity generated by conventional fossil fuels. That's equivalent to planting 1,305 trees or avoiding 305,993 miles of driving.

"The installation of this solar array is another step in helping Mass Audubon reduce its carbon footprint and will serve as a good teaching tool for the George Robert White Environmental Conservation Center," said Boston Nature Center Director Julie Brandlen. "We are grateful to the City of Boston, George Robert White Fund, and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative for providing the funds to acquire this photovoltaic array."

The George Robert White Environmental Conservation Center (GRWECC), located at Mass Audubon's Boston Nature Center in Mattapan, was developed as a partnership between Mass Audubon and the City of Boston through the George Robert White Fund. It is the first municipal green building in Boston. Heralded by Boston's Mayor Thomas M. Menino as the "building that teaches," the GRWECC is intended to serve as a regional and international model for environmentally responsible building principles.

The GRWECC is designed, constructed, and maintained in a manner that protects and conserves the natural environment. It also provides employees and visitors with a comfortable, healthy environment in which to work and learn.

The building employs a number of strategies to minimize its environmental impacts. It uses renewable energy technologies such as geothermal heat pumps, photovoltaic roof shingles, and a solar hot water system. Using advanced insulation, high-performance glass, and sound construction techniques, the building was constructed with a tight envelope to maximize energy efficiency.

A number of other steps were taken to maximize energy and water efficiency. Where possible, the building used environmentally-sound materials such as wood from certified sustainably-harvested forests, as well as products with recycled content, and local sources including Roxbury Puddingstone.

To learn more about the building's green features, visit www.massaudubon.org/boston.