Best Solar Thermal Project of the Year - NYSEIA 2011 6KC Award

University Avenue Consolidated III (UAC III) is an affordable housing development consisting of four properties in
the Morris Heights neighborhood in the Bronx, developed and owned by Bronx Pro Real Estate Management, Inc. Together, these buildings contain 174 affordable housing units.

Bright Power designed and installed four solar thermal systems, consisting of 92 solar panels (over 3,600 square feet of panels). Taken together, UAC III's four systems make up one of the largest residential solar thermal installations in New York City. The system uses the sun’s energy to provide domestic hot water to residents. Bright Power helped the project apply for over $160,000 in incentives towards installation costs.

View live energy production data for this system.

Each system contains a state-of-the-art, fifteen-point monitoring system which is visible over the internet (link coming soon). Additionally, Bright Power developed a system design using diversion valves to direct the solar preheated water toward more end uses, thereby allow solar thermal energy to more greatly reduce the energy use of the buildings. Andrew McNamara has presented on this innovative system design at national conferences including the World Energy Engineering Congress.

UAC III participated in Enterprise Green Communities and received incentives through the NYSERDA Multifamily Performance Program, for a high efficiency design that includes low flow fixtures, high-efficiency boilers, and good insulation.