CarbonBlue

Walas has continued to look for ways to improve and build on the success of Carbon6. The CarbonBlue project offers a solution to further reduce the energy costs and reliance on the energy grid, and to transition to cleaner energy sources in a wholistic and integrative way.

The Walas team was concerned about the energy use of Carbon6 and tackled this problem with their signature creativity and systems thinking approach. Leveraging the spacious parking lot, they came up with a comprehensive solution. While parking space cannot be eliminated, mounting panels on an elevated structure that covers the lot will not only solve the problem of the solar panel placement, it can also provide filtered light during the day, capture rain water, clean the surrounding air and water, create jobs and provide a green retreat for the community, all while making the project economically profitable. New business models including a car wash and energy storage will add to the financial success.

The Carbon Blue project will feed the solar energy into the building as well as charging stations for electric vehicles, meeting an expected 30% of the energy demand of the Carbon 6 complex. The first solar structure is well under way, and already showing returns, with the remainder of the structure expected to be complete by the summer of 2017.