GLREA: National Tour of Solar Buildings

Michigan Sustainable Homes & Businesses Tour
(formerly Michigan Solar Tour)
Part of the ASES National Solar Tour
October 4, 2008
10 am - 4 pm
The solar tour is free and self-guided. Visit as many sites as you would like from 10am to 4pm, in any order that you would like. Enjoy the good energy, and have fun!

The Electrical Industry Training Center (EITC) is the training facility for Local 58 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Southeastern Michigan Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association. Through a five year apprenticeship to train electricians, a three year apprenticeship for telecommunications installers, and numerous specialized journeyman and installer-tech training classes its programs have been preparing workers for the needs of the electrical industry for nearly a century.

Through the course of their apprenticeship training, students learn how to do electrical installations which are compliant with the National Electrical Code. All graduates of the EITC electrical apprenticeship program are licensed by either the State of Michigan or the City of Detroit, and receive a minimum of 8000 hours in on-the-job training and nearly 1000 hours of classroom training. While the majority of the training which the apprentices receive can be applied directly to the electrical portion of renewable energy projects, specialized training is also conducted for journeymen to familiarize them with some of the unique aspects of photovoltaic installations.

Currently the EITC has an 18kW grid-tied photovoltaic system, and a 6kW grid-interactive wind turbine system installed on the premises. For hands-on training the school has a 1.1kW Sharp/SMA PV system which is used in conjunction with a mock-up of a typical asphalt shingled roof, and an 800 watt AstroPower/Trace system which is being revamped with ballasted roof racks and new batteries.

With 40,000 square feet of space dedicated solely to educating electrical workers the EITC is one of Michigan’s largest trades training institutions. Privately funded through a joint program operated by the IBEW and NECA the center strives to educate workers not only in the traditional methods of doing electrical work, but also in new technologies such as Energy Management, Building Systems Integration, Photovoltaics, and Wind Power. This approach helps to ensure that participating contractors will have an adequate supply of skilled labor to meet the needs of emerging markets in the electrical industry.

DIRECTIONS: Take I-696 to Exit 20 (Dequindre Rd). When you exit, stay straight and merge onto 11 Mile Road heading East. Follow 11 Mile Road to Ryan Road. Make a Left on Ryan Road. Go over the highway and make a left onto 11 Mile Road heading West. After you pass David Givens Street, the road splits. Stay to the right to stay on 11 Mile Road. Turn right into the drive for 2277 11 Mile Road. If you get to Parkview Blvd, you’ve gone too far.

Dotson’s Mobile Solar Generation Units
8895 Kearny Rd, Whitmore Lake, MI

Solar Worksllc, home of Damon and Yvonne Dotson would like to invite you to our energy efficiency home in Whitmore Lake, MI on October 4th, 2008. We have been implementing new and efficient solar, wind and hot water products that have lowered our energy bills. Come and see our systems in operation and enjoy the backyard habitat.

Directions:
From Ann Arbor: 23 North to Barker Rd, go west approx 1 mile, pavement turns to dirt. Turn left on Kearney, go approx 3/4 miles, go right into driveway and make quick left. Addresss is 8895 Kearney Rd, Whitmore Lake

From Novi or North of Brighton: 96 West to 23 South. Take Exit 53 turn left on 8 mile go through down town Whitmore Lake. Go right on Barker Road. Go approx 2 miles until pavement turns to dirt. Turn left on Kearney, go approx 3/4 miles go right into driveway and make quick left. Addresss is 8895 Kearney Rd, Whitmore Lake.
Click Here for a Google area map.

The IHM Motherhouse, nationally recognized for its green renovation and winner of seven awards, is different from our other tour sites. Visitors should register by contacting Sharon Venier at svenier@ihmsisters.org or 734.240.9754. A donation to the IHM Sisters is requested.

In the spring of 2003, the IHM Congregation completed a major renovation of their 70-year-old Motherhouse and Health Care Center in Monroe, Michigan. The renovated Motherhouse is a LEED Certified building and a concrete expression of sustainability. The renovation involved extensive reuse or recycling of building materials, and the implementation of a number of energy saving technologies including a geothermal heating and cooling system and gray water recycling system. The 238-acre campus was transformed with diversified vegetation, constructed wetlands, natural drainage systems, and a community supported agriculture program and organic farm.

Directions:
From Detroit: Take I-75 S toward Toledo. Take the M-50 / Dixie Hwy exit- Exit 15- toward downtown Monroe. Turn right onto N Dixie Hwy / MI-50. Turn right onto E Elm Ave / MI-50. Continue to follow E Elm Ave.

The wind project on James Lang’s farm in Maybee, Michigan is a private owner operation, off the grid. Currently the electrical system allows for the disconnect from the grid for solo/self generation. The wind generator sets atop a 40 foot tower and is capable of producing 5kW. In demonstrations ran last fall, 2007, the farm was able to reduce it dependence of commercial electrical use by 35%. This project was built at a cost of under $8,000, and shows a potential of payoff in less than 7 years.

Driving directions
From Ann Arbor
US 23 to Milan, south on main street to Milan-Oakville road (county line) east to three way stop sign, continue straight, do not bear left. Road turns into South Stony Creek, continue on about 6 miles, when you cross the railroad track, turn south on Steffas Road. Windmill is ¼ mile on right.

From the North
I 275 to Telegraph exit, turn north on Telegraph about ¼ mile and turn west on Lobo Road. Lobo ends at Exeter Road, turn south until stop sign, South Stony Creek Road. West on South Stony Creek Road till Steffas, about 2 miles, turn left (south) on Steffas, about ¼ mile. If you come to railroad tracks you have gone too far.

Click Here for a Mapquest map

Mechanical Energy Systems
8130 N. Canton Center Rd., Canton

Visit our Demonstration Center and see a variety of working solar applications that can be retrofitted to existing homes and businesses. See how we light our office with Solatubes, heat our water with a Solar Boiler and power our computers and phones with Wind and Photovoltaic systems. Check out our Solar Wall and Solar Hot Air Panels used to assist the heating of our building during the winter months. Also, learn about the advantages of Solar Attic Fans and Solar Pool Heating systems. We offer high efficiency heating and cooling equipment to promote energy conservation, as well. Let us share our 22 years of Solar expertise as you walk through our building and discover how you can become an energy advocate, and control your future energy needs!

From Ann Arbor: Take US-23-BR N / M-14 E. Merge onto MI-14 E. Merge onto Ford Rd / MI-153 E via Exit 10. Turn left (north bound) onto Canton Center Rd. At first light past Warren Rd. turn left to stay on Canton Center Rd, we are located a 1/4 mile down on the east side.

From Ypsilanti: From the intersection of Cross and Prospect, head north on Prospect Turn right onto Ford Rd / MI-153. Turn left (north bound) onto Canton Center Rd. At first light past Warren Rd. turn left to stay on Canton Center Rd, we are located a 1/4 mile down on the east side.

From Detroit: Take US-96 W to I-275 N. Exit Ann Arbor Rd, turn right (west bound) on to Ann Arbor Rd., follow to Sheldon Rd., turn left (south bound) to Joy Rd. turn right (west bound), follow to Canton Center Rd., turn left (south bound). We are located a 1/2 mile down on the east side of Canton Center Rd.

Oakland University Student Apartments, Community Building
4000 Meadowbrook Drive, Rochester, MI

The Oakland University project is a 10kW solar roof shingle project. This is a building integrated system, and is grid integrated, using no batteries. A second wind-solar hybrid system can also be viewed nearby. This is a small, stand-alone system using batteries.

For more information about Oakland University’s Energy program and detailed direction to the site, please visit www.ouenergy.com.

Directions:
Oakland University is located north of Detroit, MI. To visit our 1,440 acre campus, take I-75 to exit 79 and go east on University Drive to Squirrel Road. Take a left on Squirrel Road to Walton Boulevard. Make a right on Walton Boulevard. Follow alongside the campus and make a right on East Oakland Drive. Make a right on Meadowbrook Road and the solar tour site will be on your right.

Or, take M-59 to Squirrel Road exit and go north Walton Boulevard. Follow alongside the campus and make a right on East Oakland Drive. Make a right on Meadowbrook Road and the solar tour site will be on your right.

Click here for Mapquest area map
(*This map will take you to the intersection of East Oakland Dr & Meadowbrook Rd*)

My wife, JoAnne, designed the house and I acted as the GC. we started construction in September 2006 and moved in on Dec 10 , 2007. The basement and first floor exterior walls are Nudura ICF. The second floor is 2 x 6 covered with 1" of XPS insulation. The windows are Jeld-Wen low-e. There are only three windows on the NE side of the house. However, because the view is to the NW there are a lot of windows on the NW side. The house is insulated with a combination of cellulose and foam and every effort has been made to make the house as airtight as possible. I have not had it tested yet as there are still some things I want to accomplish regarding air-tightness. To provide for proper ventilation the home as an HRV. Finally the basement floor has 2" of XPS foam under the slab. To provide light into some interior areas 4 Sun Tunnels have been installed.

The home is heated with a 5 ton Geothermal unit that also provides hot water when excess heat is available. Hot water is supplied by a 50 gal electric tank with a second 50 gal tank for the geothermal system and is supplemented by two flat plate collectors feeding a separate 80 gallon storage tank. Because we have two separate sources of hot water supplementation a differential controller selects the hottest source to feed the main water heater. Back up heat for power outages is provided by a first floor gas fireplace and a wood stove in the basement. At this time I am projecting our yearly cooling, heating, and hot water cost to be around $800. The total conditioned area is 5300 sq feet.

The garage is also ICF construction and has R15 insulated doors. Last winter the coldest temperature we saw in the garage was 44 degrees. This is probably due to the fact that the ground under the garage slab stays relatively warm and helps keep the garage warmer.

Because of the constraints of the lot the north-south axis points 40 degrees W of south, not exactly a solar ideal, and that the house is surrounded by trees no attempt has been made to incorporate PV into the planning.

Directions: From Pontiac Trail turn West onto 9mile rd. Turn Right (North) onto Aqua.
From M-23 Get off at the South Lyon exit Turn East onto 9 mile rd. Turn Left (North) onto Aqua

Click Here for a Google map.

The St. Elizabeth rectory has both solar/electric and solar/thermal technology. It has a hybrid solar/electric stand alone system. Seven circuits run on solar, including computer, copier, television, lights, etc. Most of the first floor and part of the rectory basement run on solar. Six 80 watt and four 120 watt Kyocera photovoltaics provide 1.12 kilowatts/hr. of power. A Southwest Air 403 wind turbine on the rectory roof also supplies up to 400 watts/hr of electric power. There are sixteen AGM Discover batteries that provide at least four days of supplemental power during periods of cloud cover and lack of wind. The AGM batteries do not require any maintenance. In addition, a solar attic fan on the rectory roof removes 800-1200 cubic feet/minute of hot air from the attic. lSt. Elizabeth also has a 64 sq. foot solar collector on the rectory garage roof to provide hot water for the rectory. It is estimated that over 1/2of the rectory's annual hot water is supplied by the solar/thermal hot water system. St. Elizabeth Church, school and rectory have seen a complete overhaul of the lighting system with CFLs, T-8 and T-5 fluorescent lights throughout the school, rectory and church. Exit signs throughout all of the buildings are now LED technology. The Church windows have been reinforced by the placement of a solar net on the outside and low-E glass on the inside. Thanks to the renewable energy systems and energy efficiency measures, St. Elizabeth saves over $20,000/year annually, about 10% of the parish budget.

Directions:
St. Elizabeth is located at 138 Goodell at the corner of Second Street in Wyandotte. We are one block south of Goddard and two short blocks west of Biddle [Jefferson is called Biddle in Wyandotte]. To reach St. Elizabeth from the north, east and from the west take the appropriate expressway [either I-94, I-75 or I-96] to the Southfield [M-39]. Take Southfield south all the way until it ends at Jefferson by the Detroit River. Turn right on Jefferson and go one and one-third miles [or three lights]. The third light is Goddard. Goodell is the next street. Turn right on Goodell and the rectory is two quick blocks on the right.

From the South you could take I-75 to Fort Street and Fort Street to Goddard. You turn right on Goddard and take it for a little over a mile until you reach Second Street. Turn right on Second Street and the rectory is on the southeast corner at the next block. Or one can also take Telegraph and turn right at Goddard, also taking Goddard to Second Street.

University of Detroit Mercy 10kW PV Installation
McNichols Campus, 4001 W McNichols, Detroit

The 10kW photovoltaic array, located on the roof of the Engineering Building on the McNichols campus, is a Uni-Solar system which used the triple junction amorphous silicon alloy technology designed and manufactured by United Solar Ovonic. The array consists of seven 20 ft x 17 ft horizontally mounted self-ballasted assemblies that feed an inverter which in turn provides AC power directly into the building electrical system. The photovoltaic system offsets the building’s commercial electrical consumption by about 10,000 kilowatt-hours per year.

Students and faculty installed the solar arrays on the roof of the Engineering building in fall 2005, and the wiring and instrumentation was completed in spring and summer 2006. A public display explaining solar photovoltaic principles and showing real-time electrical power production from the arrays is located in the building lobby. The solar project was partially funded by a $53,000 grant issued by the State of Michigan Energy Office, with funds coming from the U.S. Department of Energy.

More information about the photovoltaic system can be found at http://eng-sci.udmercy.edu/solarpower/index.html, including a real-time display of operating data.

Directions:
The University of Detroit Mercy McNichols campus is located at 4001 W McNichols, Detroit on the corner of Livernois and W McNichols.

From I-96: Take the Livernois exit and go north on Livernois about 2.5 miles. You will see the University clock tower on your right. Enter the campus and ask the guard for directions to the Engineering Building. The solar display is on the first floor of the engineering building.

Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center, located in rural Oxford, was born of a desire to explore and teach ways to live in more sustainable relationship with the natural environment. Designed and built in the late 1970's, the facility is a model of renewable energy and ecological design principles at work. Integrating sun, wind, earth and stones, the building is both beautiful and energy efficient. The center offers programs and workshops on a wide variety of subjects ranging from energy conservation and renewable energy to holistic health and indigenous wisdom. For more information, visit www.uheac.org

Directions:
From I-75/Pontiac area:
Take I-75 North to Exit 81 (Lapeer Rd.). Turn right (north) and go through the town of Lake Orion (about 7 1/2 miles). After passing the Kroger plaza on the right, look for a stone bridge at the bottom of the hill on the right. Turn right on Indian Lake Rd. and go about 2 1/2 miles. EAC sign will be on your right. From Rochester: Take Rochester Rd. (north) to Stoney Creek Rd. and turn left (west). Go about 2 miles to the stop sign and turn right. Continue on Lake George Rd. for about 3 miles. Turn left on Indian Lake Rd. and go 1/2 mile till you see our EAC sign on the left.

From I-69/Flint & Lapeer:
Exit I-69 at M-24 (Lapeer Rd.), go right (south) on M-24 to the town of Oxford. Turn left (east) onto Burdick Rd., the second stop light in town. (Burdick becomes Lakeville Rd.)...Go 4 miles to Lake George Rd., turn right (south) and go 1 1/2 miles to Indian Lake Rd. Turn right and go 1/2 mile till you see our sign on the left.

A naturally bright, open, owner designed and built, home featuring both passive and active solar heating. Located west of Dexter, this home utilizes concrete reinforced foam exterior walls for insulation, hot water radiant floor heating, active ventilation, 240 square feet of solar hot water panels, and many other energy efficient features.

Directions:
From Ann Arbor: Take I-94 west to Baker Road, Exit 167. Turn right onto Baker Road and continue until it ends in a T. Turn left and go straight through the village of Dexter. Continue over the creek and under the old stone railroad viaduct. Stay on left fork-Island Lake Road-2.6 miles. Turn right onto Dexter-Townhall-0.6 miles. Turn right onto Fleming (dirt road). From Lansing: Take I-96 east to M-52. Turn right (south) onto M-52. Turn left onto North Territorial Road. Turn right onto Dexter-Townhall Road-2.3 miles. Turn left onto Fleming (dirt road).

From Ypsilanti: Take I-94 W to the Baker Rd. exit- Exit 167- toward Dexter. Turn right onto Baker Rd. Turn left onto Shield Rd. Turn right onto N Parker Rd. Turn slight right onto Dexter-Chelsea Rd. Turn left onto Dexter Pinckney Rd. Dexter Pinckney Rd becomes Island Lake Rd. Turn right onto Dexter-Townhall Rd. Turn right onto Fleming (dirt road).

Click here for Mapquest area map

Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association
URL: www.glrea.org
Email: info@glrea.org
Lansing:
(517) 646.6269
Toll Free:
1.800.434.9788

Contact GLREA
Feel free to contact us if you have any additional questions or comments.

GLREA is a 501c3 nonprofit organization and contributions may be tax deductable.