Glimcher to Install Largest Single-Rooftop Solar System in North America at NJ Mall

 

Columbus, OH—Retail REIT Glimcher Realty Trust has plans for the largest single-roof top solar system in North America to be built on the roof of Jersey Gardens in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

 

 

Columbus, OH—Retail REIT Glimcher Realty Trust has plans for the largest single-roof top solar system in North America to be built on the roof of Jersey Gardens in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The 4.8MW solar array will generate enough power to offset 11% of the electrical consumption of the mall.  Jersey Gardens, with 1.3 million square feet of leasable space, is one of the largest properties in Glimcher’s regional mall portfolio, with tenants including Gap Outlet, H&M, Lord & Taylor Outlet, Neiman Marcus Last Call, Nike Factory Store and Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th.

Throughout its portfolio, Glimcher has been a leader in implementing various techniques resulting in environmentally friendly methods to conserve energy, manage or reduce waste and recycle used materials. The addition of a solar array to Jersey Gardens was made possible through a partnership with Gerding Edlen Development, Inc., a green building expert, and Gerding Edlen Sustainable Solutions, a subsidiary of Gerding Edlen and expert in sustainable development, renewable energy and financing.

To realize this initiative, Glimcher entered into a power purchase agreement with Clean Focus Corporation.  Under the agreement, Clean Focus will finance and own the system.  All solar renewable energy credits and environmental benefits associated with the system will be owned by Clean Focus. Jersey Gardens will buy the electricity at a predetermined, predictable price, providing a long-term hedge against rising power prices with no initial capital investment.

The Jersey Gardens solar system will be designed, installed and maintained by SunPower Corporation, an American company that designs, manufactures and delivers solar technology. With an expected completion date of August 2011, SunPower will begin installing the SunPowerTM T5 Solar Roof Tile system this February.  The T5 Solar Roof Tile is the solar industry’s first non-penetrating rooftop product that combines a high-efficiency SunPower solar panel, frame and mounting system into a single, pre-engineered unit. Tilted at a 5-degree angle, the system will approximately double the energy generated per square meter compared to other systems that are mounted flat onto commercial rooftops.

Jersey Gardens, a leader in sustainability, was built by Glimcher Realty Trust in 1999 on the site of a former landfill. Additionally, the property employs a robust recycling program and recently completed a light retrofitting to replace fluorescent and exterior neon lighting in an effort to manage its environmental footprint.