Standard Solar Inc. today announced it has completed a solar installation on the historic DAR Constitution Hall located in Washington, D.C., just off the National Mall and a few hundred yards from the White House.
The Hall opened in 1929, and was designed to house the annual Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) convention. It is currently Washington, D.C.’s largest concert hall, welcoming more than half a million patrons each year. It was designated a National Historic Landmark Building in 1985.
The array, mounted on the rooftop of the Hall, is expected to produce 100,786 kWh of energy per year and will help offset the energy demand of DAR Constitution Hall. As a historic facility, the PV system design was critical. Standard Solar worked closely with DAR on the innovative installation to ensure it met structural conditions, historic preservation requirements and resulted in an economic solar solution.
“This project with DAR is a leading example of how solar production can be maximized even on urban buildings where space is limited,” said Tony Clifford, CEO of Standard Solar. “In addition to being innovative with the use of rooftop space, our design had to integrate the requirements of a historic building and maintain the integrity of the architecture. The result is a highly efficient advanced solar system powering an 85 year old historic structure—a progressive blend of history and modern technology.”
“A Conservation Committee dedicated to all things environmental has existed within DAR for over 105 years, and historic preservation is one of our Society’s founding missions,” stated DAR President General Lynn Forney Young. “So when presented the opportunity to reduce operating costs in a manner that conserves energy and preserves the historic fabric of our National Headquarters at the same time, it was an easy decision to make. Next year will be DAR’s 125th anniversary, and I am proud that our organization continues to change with the times and embrace innovative technology that is good for DAR, the Washington, D.C. community and the environment.”
Standard Solar utilized PV solutions from tenK, a commercial rooftop solar solutions provider, enabling the team to maximize the array output, minimize weight loads and deliver savings to DAR.
“tenK has dedicated years of engineering into delivering the best all-around system for flat rooftops. This project showcases why tenK is a leading choice for maximizing rooftop solar sites with weight and space limitations,” said Joel Cannon, CEO, tenKsolar.
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage organization that was founded in 1890 and is open to any woman 18 years of age or older, regardless of religion, race or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution. Its membership exceeds over 177,000 women from over 3,000 chapters from every state and around the world. According to DAR, ground was broken for DAR Constitution Hall on June 22, 1928. The cornerstone was laid by Mrs. Calvin Coolidge on October 30, 1928, using the trowel George Washington used to lay the cornerstone at the Capitol in 1793. Mrs. Herbert Hoover was the guest speaker at the formal dedication on April 19, 1929.
— Solar Builder magazine
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