The first phase of installation for experimental solar panels on the Capitol roof began Friday in an effort to make the building more efficient and make the public more aware of green energy.
According to a statement released Friday by the office of Gov. Jim Doyle, 48 solar electric panels will be installed on the roof of the Capitol’s west wing throughout December. Madison Gas and Electric is funding all of the $78,000 necessary for the project.
According to an e-mail to The Badger Herald from Emily Winecke, spokesperson for the state Department of Administration, the panels will save 12 metric tons of carbon emissions. The panels will produce over 11,000 kilowatt-hours per year, about equal to the energy consumption of the average household.
“Installing solar panels on the state Capitol exemplifies the state’s commitment to green building standards and energy conservation,” Doyle said in the statement. “Our state buildings are a model for the rest of the state in energy conservation.”
Doyle said in the statement green technology will cut operating costs, conserve energy, water and land, and improve the health of state employees.
According to Winecke’s e-mail, the panels, which cover 9,600 square feet of the west wing roof, will be monitored from a demonstration kiosk inside the Capitol.?
The Doyle statement said the Capitol renovations are part of a growing commitment to green technology in state facilities. Doyle cited the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Building in Madison as an example of the success of green technology.?
According to the statement, the DATCP Building bought energy from wind farms and solar power sources in Wisconsin and Iowa, and approximately 35 percent of the building’s energy comes from clean energy sources. The building recently won Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings Silver Certification from the United States Green Building Council.?
The DATCP Building also reduced water consumption by 15 percent through the use of green plumbing fixtures and mandated all cleaning products to be environmentally friendly. Winecke said in the e-mail all new state buildings will be built to LEED standards.?
