http://multi-housingnews.com/multihousing/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003410432&imw=YNOVEMBER 20, 2006 -- Brockton, Mass. -- Johnson Square Builders, a locally based firm, is developing Johnson Square Village, the first residential project in New England that is able to provide energy to residents solely through solar power. Financed by the Community Bank, also based in Brockton, the $6-million project broke ground in May of 2006 and is slated for completion in late 2007.
“It depends on how conservative residents are
, but at least 60 percent of their energy will be solar,” Dan Porrazzo, partner of Johnson Square Builders, told MHN. “For instance, if they use products like fluorescent light bulbs and turn off air conditioners during the day, they probably will never be billed for utilities.”
The complex will feature 26 townhouses, each with its own designated photovoltaic or solar (PV) system designed to save residents nearly $600 per year on energy costs. “People are a little skeptical, because when you tell people how much they’ll save, they look at you like you’re crazy,” Porrazzo said.
Upon completion, the community, situated on the site of a former shoe factory, will feature over 450 photovoltaic panels. Each two-bedroom unit, priced from $214,900, will feature an 18-panel, 3.24-kilowatt solar array designed to harness the sun’s energy to power appliances, computers, TVs and other electronics. The PV systems are expected to generate 4,212 kilowatt-hours per year, based on New England’s climate. According to Conservation Services Group (CSG), designer of the systems, solar output on each home will provide more than 60 percent of the home’s electrical usage.
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