Boston Globe Article

Solar power to the people
In a first, condos to use sun's energy
Boston Globe | June 22, 2006
By Emily Sweeney, Globe Staff

Brockton is about to become home to what is believed to be the first solar-powered condo development in New England.

Each town house in Johnson Square Village, a 26-unit development being built on Foster Street, will have an 18-panel solar array that will harness the sun's energy to power TVs, computers, and other appliances. Solar power will provide more than half the needed electricity, saving condo owners hundreds of dollars every year.

The $6 million project is being built on the site of a former shoe factory. Ground was broken in the spring, and a model home is scheduled to be completed this summer. The rest of Johnson Square Village is expected to be finished next year.

Eventually more than 450 photovoltaic panels will cover the roofs of the seven buildings that will make up the development, where the starting price for units will be $214,900.

"Johnson Square is in a unique position, and we hope a number of projects can learn lessons from this one," said Chris Kealey, spokesman for the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. "We are embarking on a major initiative to build new, green, affordable housing across the state. Hopefully it will not be unique for long."

It is "the wave of the future," said John Livermore, new construction manager at Conservation Services Group, the Westborough designers of the photovoltaic system.

It is certainly the cutting edge in New England. The developers of Johnson Place say there are no other all-solar condo projects in New England, and the Solar Energy Industries Association, based in Washington, D.C., knows of no others.

Brockton's environmentally friendly condos are the brainchild of lifelong resident Dan Porrazzo, who said he has wanted to build them since the 1980s.

Porrazzo used to work for Conservation Services Group, overseeing the design and installation of photovoltaic systems. He partnered with Brockton native Dave Murphy, who owns Murphy Electric on Montello Street, and formed Johnson Square Builders to bring his vision to reality. He also hopes to set an example for other developers.

"I want to prove to people that you can build something like this," he said. "Now I can say we've done it. I think that will go a long way."

Solar panels have become more efficient and less expensive over the past 10 years, making them more attractive to builders. The Johnson Square Village project also got a financial boost last month when the developers received a $458,300 grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative's Renewable Energy Trust to help defray the cost of installing the solar panels.

"This project addresses two critical needs in the Commonwealth -- housing and energy -- by creating healthier, new, affordable homes for families and generating electricity that produces no harmful emissions," said trust director Warren Leon. "Working with partners like the city of Brockton, CSG, and Johnson Square, we hope to change the way homes, schools, and businesses are built, so that green construction becomes the standard throughout Massachusetts."

Once complete, Johnson Square Village will include seven residential buildings. The dark blue solar panels, manufactured by Marlborough-based Evergreen Solar, each measure 3 feet by 5 feet and will be laid flat against the roof. "A lot of people say they look like a skylight," Livermore said. "They blend in nicely."

The homes will also feature programmable heating systems, doubled-paned windows, and a special irrigation system that collects and uses rainwater.

The homes are designed to meet the energy-efficiency standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Homes initiative. They will also be certified by the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, according to the developers.

"Combined with the savings realized from generating solar energy," said Livermore, "residents will be saving more than 50 percent on their energy costs every month."