Berkshire School Goes Solar for Carbon Neutrality

The Berkshire School in Sheffield, MA has begun construction of a 2 megawatt solar installation.

The project will produce 2,300 MWH of electricity per year, or 40 percent of the school's needs. The installation is being built by Spire as part of the school's plan to be carbon neutral by 2016 and is scheduled to be completed this summer.

The Berkshire School currently receives its electricity from TransCanada, with half of coming from renewable sources.

Other steps taken by the Berkshire school to meet the goal include:

  • A requirement that all new construction be compliant with LEED standards;
  • Energy audits of campus buildings, performed by students;
  • Fleet audits, also performed by students, to ensure that mileage is a top priority in purchasing and leasing decisions; and
  • The manufacture of biodiesel from the dining hall's used vegetable oil.

According to information released by the school, administrators are also looking at financial mechanisms for funding efficiency projects and considering the purchase of a dashboard to provide real-time updates of energy data.

More information is available here.

About the Author

Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at [email protected].

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