Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) DSA solar carport installation meets district sustainability goals while proving the power of industry collaboration.
As steel carport installation experts, M Bar C Construction is honored to be selected to partner with industry leaders Onyx Renewable in IUSD DSA solar carport installations. Established in 2014, Onyx Renewable expertise is recognized across the nation for its superior development, construction management, and O&M services. Throughout the two organizations’ collaborative history, DSA approved solar carports have been installed at California schools changing the face of sustainability for not only the campuses at which they are built but for the generations of students represented within them. Although the IUSD DSA solar carport installations prove beneficial to the district, these structures also provide the partners involved the opportunity to positively impact the community through further education.
Irvine Unified School District DSA Solar Carport
In their commitment to sustainability, Irvine Unified School District aligned with powerhouse Onyx in developing these innovative solar carport installations. Julie Henderson (Onyx Renewable Business Development Project Coordinator) explained:
“Irvine Unified School District became a client of Onyx Renewable after the 2016 SunEdison acquisition. Within the acquisition, Onyx inherited over 100 projects across California in all stages of development. Projects spanning all sectors, including schools, municipalities, commercial off-takers, etc. Our partnership with IUSD developed through this acquisition. In 2019, we reached out to Irvine Sustainability Department to inquire if Onyx could provide additional solar and storage solutions for the district, which they were interested in.”
With an admirable goal to be the first to initiate a net-zero energy plan, IUSD is leading the way with the addition of DSA approved solar carports throughout their campuses. As the IUSD DSA solar carport installer, M Bar C Construction joined Onyx Renewable in supporting the district in their commitments to renewable energy. Meeting DSA requirements while navigating the best possible cost-effective energy solutions for the district served as the driving force behind the design and installation of each campus carport and storage solution.
Irvine Unified School Districts, Cadence Park K-8 School, now houses a newly completed DSA solar carport system. This system represents over 840kWh of electricity annually and is estimated to save the school approximately 51% in energy costs each year. The installation of the Cadence Park energy solutions places IUSD as one of the top 10 districts in California for renewable energy.
Collaboration Meets Community
Onyx Renewable furthered their reach into the community of Irvine by providing a learning opportunity for Cadence Park students. David Brian, Onyx Renewable Vice President of Business Development explained:
“We are proud of the work we are doing with the Unified School District in California, The energy and cost savings we can help the schools achieve are important, but we know that educating children about the importance of clean, sustainable and economically viable energy will have an even greater impact on our world far into the future.”
In December 2019, the Cadence Park auditorium filled with students with notepads and pens in hand. Onyx team members shared the benefits that renewable energy provides for their school, their community, and for their futures as we collectively strive towards sustainability.
M Bar C Construction thrives within the successful collaboration with partners such as Onyx Renewable. When Onyx invited M Bar C Construction to participate in an Onyx Renewable orchestrated and led Cadence Park educational assembly, it was an opportunity we couldn’t refuse. Kelsey Webster, M Bar C Construction Marketing Manager shared about the experience:
“M Bar C Construction has always strived to support the communities that we work in, the Eric Paredes Save a Life Foundation is a great example of that. Nevertheless, witnessing the extraordinary commitment Onyx Renewables has to their clients but also to the community was inspiring and eye-opening for us. Not many companies choose to go the extra mile, yet, Onyx choose to invest further by educating future generations about renewable energy and its positive impact. Additionally, they provided M Bar C the chance to support and participate in this future building investment while also allowing us to learn from Onyx Renewables lead.”
With an additional seven more Irvine Unified Schools planned for solar by 2021, IUSD will undoubtedly lead the state for sustainability. Installations such as the Cadence Park solar carports will provide the district long term cost savings for the district while also serving as a testament to renewable energy for generations to come.