Designed by well-renowned architect Frank Harmon, the 29,656-square-foot North Carolina Botanical Garden Education Center features photovoltaic (PV) panels installed on top of MBCI’s BattenLok® HS standing seam roof system in Galvalume Plus®.

It was noted that the marriage of the PV panels and BattenLok® HS is ideal because a PV system’s efficiency improves when installed on a cool metal roof, increasing the energy output of the solar modules.

Harmon said, in regards to the project, “The standing seam Galvalume® roof at the Botanical Garden reflects the heat, sheds rainwater, readily accepts photovoltaic panels and is beautiful.” All of these factors contributed to making the Center North Carolina’s first LEED-Platinum certified building.

The general contractor and installer was Stat Roofing & Construction of Stoneville, North Carolina. Frank Harmon Architect is based out of Raleigh, North Carolina. This facility is located at the University Of North Carolina campus in Chapel Hill and was completed in 2009.

Photos by Frank Harmon.