News from the EarthWays Center

Work continues to progress in advancing greening efforts at the Garden. The Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center has a rooftop solar array that has maxed out the solar potential and filled the roof of the structure using the latest photovoltaic technology.

A system size of 199.1 kW is installed on the roofs. This size array will produce an average of 267.7 Megawatt Hours per year.

The annual carbon reduction of this system is roughly equivalent to the annual output required to power the electricity for 23.9 homes annually; or the carbon sequestered by 225 acres of US forests in one year. 

An anonymous donor covered partial costs for the install; and the remainder was covered by utility rebates the Garden will receive as a result of the high energy efficiency of our heating and cooling systems and the rainwater collection system installed. A win-win of efforts! This makes the fourth solar array at the Garden – there is one on CBEC (where we have offices); one on the Brookings Exhibit Hall; one in Kemper Center gardens; and now one on the Visitor Center.

You can learn more about the additional sustainability features of the Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center here!