While grounded in tradition, the new 52,444-square-foot Boulder Jewish Community Center in Boulder, CO is a contemporary example of today’s sustainable design. The building’s most visible energy-saving feature is the solar array mounted on
a large section of curved metal roofing. The 74.4kW PV array was installed quickly and effectively, and without violating the metal roofing warranty, using the S-5-PVKIT® 2.0 from Colorado Springs, CO-based S-5!.
Designed and built by Colorado-based RB+B Architects and Calcon Constructors, the JCC was envisioned from the very start as a place that would be beautiful, functional and unique. Construction included a wing for daycare and education, a gymnasium and
fitness center, a full commercial kitchen, a community hall with a state-of-the-art stage, a library, administrative offices and a large outdoor gathering area, complete with a fireplace.
As a non-profit organization, cost was a consideration in all construction choices, regardless of the desires toward energy efficiency and sustainability. Generous grants from the City of Boulder and Boulder County, aimed at helping non-profits go solar,
made the solar portion of the project a reality. Visibility and educational opportunities afforded by the solar were important to both the Boulder JCC and the grant committees.
The Boulder JCC was designed to be 30% more energy efficient than standard construction, and the PV array helped in that regard. The center features a monitoring and informational kiosk located in the lobby, displaying specific project data, including
CO2 savings, equivalent trees planted, etc.
The Solar Revolution handled the installation of the solar on the highly visible and gently curved 22GA Firestone UC-3 Double Lock Standing Seam Roof Panel, installed by Douglass Colony. There are more solar panels on other flat-roofed areas of the building,
as well as a 7.2kW array installed on the adjacent barn at the “Milk and Honey Farm.” The farm is 100% powered by solar and serves as a valuable tool for the Boulder JCC’s educational and preschool programs.
All of the panels mounted on metal was attached using the S-5-PVKIT® 2.0. The kit provides for simple, secure, economical and penetration-free attachment. Designed with the installer in mind, the kit’s quick and easy installation minimizes the
time installers spend on the roof.
The PVKIT’s pre-assembled components enabled installers to direct-attach PV modules to the roof’s standing seams using S-5! clamps and brackets, vs. a traditional rail mounting system. The PVKIT offers impressive savings across several metrics
by which PV mounting systems are measured, while providing better load distribution. Count the installation company as one of the kit’s fans.
“The Solar Revolution has been utilizing the S-5! PVKIT solution since it first hit the market,” explained the company’s Doug Claxton. “Hands down, it is the best solar mounting solution for metal roofing of any description. Our
projects using the PVKIT yield the fastest installation times, lowest material cost and best aesthetics bar none.”
Claxton said he’s looked at other products, but doesn’t see them as equal to S-5!. “They do not compare in quality or even in cost,” he notes. “S-5! has been creating innovative solutions for metal roofs far longer than anyone
else, and their expertise is unmatched. We just won’t use anything else on a metal roof.”
The metal roof area of the solar project measured 102’ (E/W) x 75’ (N/S). Installation of the panels required 378 S-5-S Mini clamps and 378 S-5-PVKIT assemblies.