Steven Strong was with President Carter when he dedicated the first solar energy application at the White House (subsequently removed by the Reagan Administration). Hence it was only fitting that 25 years later the National Park Service retained Strong and Solar Design Associates to design and install three solar systems at the Presidential compound. Two of the systems deliver thermal energy for hot water and pool heating and one produces electricity from photovoltaics. SDA provided engineering, design, integration and construction services for this sensitive project. The 8.3 kW of PV’s are comprised of 162 Evergreen 51 W modules, mounted on tile-trac at zero slope with three MA 2500 inverters.The thermal solar panels are integrated into a new lead coated copper, standing-seam, hipped roof, selected as appropriate to the historic architecture on the site. SDA designed the solar array to be recessed into the new cabana roof such that the collector glazing would be in the plane of the finished roof and become the weathering skin, an SDA signature design element.
Article in Electronic House:
“Six Ways to Green the White House”
