The installation of solar panels last week marked the final “green” component of the construction process at the new T.C. Williams High School, which opened in September of 2007.
Alexandrians for a Green T.C., the Virginia Division of Mines, Minerals and Energy, the Solar Schools Foundation and the successful bidder, Standard Solar, teamed up to provide the expertise, grants and the actual installation, respectively.
The installation is designed to provide a minimal electrical input to the School’s internal electrical system and give students an opportunity to learn about solar energy from a real, on-site, working installation. The solar panel array is on the roof of the art rooms, with the panels facing the southern sky. The panel array is viewable from the earth science labs on the third floor of the building. The output of the panel array and certain measurements will be made available through a Web site called “Fat Spaniel” with a future connection to the T.C. Williams “dashboard” control panel that will showcase all of the building’s sustainable features.