Hampton, N.H. — Planet Fitness, Inc., a franchisor and operator of fitness centers in the U.S., has partnered with Solar Energy Management at its St. Petersburg club to become the first 24/7 Planet Fitness to be a net-zero energy building. The updated, energy-efficient Planet Fitness is now 99.5% reliant on sustainable solar power.
Clean, renewable solar energy was incorporated into the building’s redesign, which involved the placement of 179 kilowatts of solar panels to feed energy throughout its 20,000-square-foot location. The installation featured a solar power canopy and solar roof system fully integrated into the building’s infrastructure. As a result, more than 5,600 tons of carbon dioxide will be eliminated, the equivalent to the planting of more than 130,000 trees, and the building’s monthly energy bill will be reduced by 99%. In addition to the solar power overhaul, the fitness location also upgraded its lighting to LED fixtures to further maximize energy efficiency.
“As a member of the St. Petersburg community, I am proud to be able to do our part in improving energy efficiency and contributing to a greener future,” says Doug Kuiken, franchisee of Planet Fitness. “We encourage everyone to check out the club and see exactly how much power is being produced by the solar panels using monitors available in the hallway.”
“We are extremely excited to celebrate our first solar-powered Planet Fitness location system-wide,” says Chris Rondeau, Planet Fitness’ chief executive officer. “We are proud to support Doug’s work on this important initiative and always work closely with our franchise partners to support their enterprises, encourage innovation and reduce our environmental impact wherever possible.”
“Retrofitting the Planet Fitness location is truly a breakthrough and the first of its kind to provide affordable solar power in Florida,” says Scott McIntyre, CEO of Solar Energy Management, based in Tampa. “Having converted this building to zero energy will allow for significant energy savings for many years to come and we’re honored to have been a part of the project.”
Founded in 1992 in Dover, N.H., Planet Fitness is one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the United States by number of members and locations. As of March 31, 2017, Planet Fitness had approximately 10 million members and more than 1,300 stores in 48 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada and the Dominican Republic. For more information, visit PlanetFitness.com.
Solar Energy Management (SEM Power LLC) is a state of Florida innovator in state-of-the-art solar power solutions for commercial and residential clients. For more information, visit www.solarenergymgmt.com.
SOURCE: Planet Fitness, Inc.