(Image: CHS)
With highs in the 30s, Seattle’s La Nina January has started the year off with a chill. But the sharpest cold has also coincided with sunny, clear days. That’s good news for Capitol Hill living building the Bullitt Center where the solar arrays have been collecting about 43% of the office building’s energy needs from the sky.
The solar powered start to 2017 continues a trend. In 2016, the building generated more power than it used:
In 2016, @Bullitt_Center produced 28.5% more electricity from our solar array than we used. #NetPositive https://t.co/yu0JUERUbQ
— Bullitt Center (@Bullitt_Center) January 4, 2017
The Bullitt Center opened at 15th and Madison in 2013 and is still considered one of the greenest office buildings in the world. In October, CHS reported on efforts to kickstart the city’s Living Building incentive program to encourage more projects like the Bullitt. Capitol Hill is also home to 10th Ave E’s Bertschi School and its Living Science Building. Meanwhile, the next big green project on the horizon on Capitol Hill is slated to rise at 13th and Pike where plans are moving forward for Seattle’s first Passive House-certified mixed-use project.
That still doesn’t justify hanging solar arrays over right-of-way. I really hope that doesn’t become a thing in Seattle.