Case Studies
Solar for Builders

Solar for Builders
For builders and developers, incorporating solar energy is first and foremost an investment decision.  Clean energy production earns renewable energy credits (RECs) for  Cap and Trade programs and meets new green building standards.
Read More

Solar for Business

Solar for Business
With rising utility rates, solar systems for commercial buildings provide
a noticeable differentiator.  Solar saves you money and benefits your bottom line. Read More

Solar for Homeowners

Solar for Homeowners
Simply stated, utilities are expensive.  Like any expense, you want to pay as little as necessary to meet your needs. Read More

New Construction BIPV Housing Development

UHC's Urban Housing Communities throughout California

“iPower's® unending flexibility to adjust to changes in product and design enhances the value that they bring to our projects.  As our planning adjusts -- and it continually does in the development industry -- iPower's® team meets every challenge with quick and beneficial alternatives to help us move forward.”
Urban Housing Communities LLC Project Manager Robert Gaouette

What

Multiple projects for affordable housing developer Urban Housing Communities LLC, designing and installing solar energy systems in many of its 17 current and proposed housing projects throughout California, including Horizons at Indio near Palm Springs, Horizons at Morgan Hill, Crossings at Escondido and Crossings at Big Bear Lake.

For instance, Horizons at Indio is a 80-unit property for seniors located near Palm Springs, CA. Award-winning architectural firm KTGY Group, Inc., designed the 7.78 acre site with well-appointed apartments, generous community amenities and green building features including solar panels and radiant barrier on the community room roof, specialized glass windows, carpeting and Energy Star appliances.

Challenge

  • To design an integrated solar energy system to offset community energy usage
  • To consolidate remote access monitoring into one internet address
  • To enhance the financial modeling of the projects

 
Solution

Each project had or has its own goals and requirements, but, as an example, one housing development specified Open Energy Solar Tiles to integrate seamlessly with its standard roofing tiles.  iPower’s® early involvement allowed extensive beneficial financial modeling and pro forma options.

According to Urban Housing Communities LLC’s Chief Operating Officer David Bigley, “We firmly believe working with iPower® in the very early stages of every project allows solar energy to have a positive impact not only on design but on the financial modeling and pro forma of each of our projects.  iPower®works hand-in-hand with our designers,  bringing their unmatched financial expertise to the design table with them.” 

Robert Gaouette, UHC project manager, attests to iPower's® willingness to take change in stride.  “For instance, initially designed as 144 affordable workforce housing units with over 300KW of solar capacity, UHC’s Crossings at Palm Desert project is being redesigned to approximately 100 units with a mix of detached and duplex homes, each with a minimum of 2kw of solar capacity. iPower® understands."

Multifamily and senior housing projects handled by iPower® for UHC include a 20kW traditional system for the common area of a 49–unit senior apartment home community in Morgan Hill.  A development at Crossings at Escondido and Crossings at Big Bear Lake will have traditional solar systems for their common areas. 

Besides other projects underway, iPower® has just completed a system for the common area of 80-unit Horizons At Indio near Palm Springs.  Said Eric Pollock, iPower® CEO,  “We chose solar modules to merge a stunning rooftop with an effective power plant and were able to satisfy energy needs while enhancing the architect’s design.  Each of our other UHC projects have the same attention to aesthetic design as well as powerful engineering, all the while considering important return on investment.” 

Award-winning architectural firm KTGY Group, Inc., works with UHC and iPower® to design UHC’s communities with architecture styles that include craftsmen and Spanish, well-appointed apartments, generous community amenities and green building features including solar panels and radiant barrier on the community room roof, hydronic heating, low-E glass windows, no-VOC paint, low-VOC carpeting and Energy Star appliances. 


Partners

  • McKinzie Electric
  • Ashwood Construction