RENEWABLE ENERGY
A crucial component of TECH 3443’s dedication to sustainability is our commitment to site-level solar energy. Our campus will include large solar panel arrays — positioned for maximum efficiency across campus rooftops — that convert the sun’s light into electricity, and we’ll store that energy at an on-site, behind-the-meter battery.
We all know there’s no shortage of sunshine in Austin, and as the battery fills, it will supply electricity to campus buildings. TECH 3443 expects to provide as much as 75 percent of campus electricity requirements through this innovative sustainable solar power system. And as the campus grows and matures, solar generation and battery installation will grow, as well.
A BIT ABOUT SOLAR
Humans have been using the sun’s rays for millennia to warm themselves, grow crops and preserve food. As we became dependent on electrical power, we began to realize that our reliance on fossil fuels was not sustainable. We turned back to our life-giving energy source, the sun, and began to develop technologies to collect the sun’s gift — solar energy — and convert it into electricity.
Scientists expect the sun will be around to provide energy for at least another five billion years, so not only is solar energy renewable, but it also doesn’t produce air pollutants or carbon dioxide. In fact, solar energy systems installed on buildings have very minimal impact on the environment.
LEED CERTIFICATION
Our dedication to collecting and utilizing solar energy is just one part of our commitment to the standards put in place by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Internationally recognized as the standard-bearer for green building designation, a LEED certification ensures that a project conforms with the highest standards of green building, with a commitment to eco-friendly and sustainable practices. This translates to benefits for TECH 3443 occupants who can use LEED status as a recruitment tool.
AN AUSTIN ENERGY PARTNER
The TECH 3443 campus has set a lofty yet attainable goal of net-zero usage from Austin Energy’s electrical grid. We are in an active, cooperative partnership with Austin Energy’s solar department to understand what local programs are best suited for our campus and how we can leverage these programs to expand our solar investment.
Austin Energy has, for the past several years, been at the vanguard of municipal solar power research and investment. The organization continues to support installation of solar power and energy storage on the commercial level through advocacy and other financial avenues.