Build Inc.  San Francisco, CA

Build Inc. is a commercial and residential developer based in San Francisco. Their creativity, imagination and expertise yields projects which are responsive to their neighborhoods, rewarding to their investors, and environmentally responsible.

Build Inc. owners Loring Sagan and Lou Vasquez were already aware of the rebates and tax credits available to California businesses and wanted to know more, finding that solar power was a strong fit with their mission of environmentally responsible development. So they commissioned Borrego Solar to design and install a pilot project on the roof of the company’s headquarters.

The Build Inc. solar electric system now provides approximately 20% of the building’s energy requirements, saving the company over $2,000 a year on their utility bills.

Borrego Solar’s educational approach to the installation process provided Build Inc. with valuable insight into the installation, operation, and maintenance of photovoltaic systems, which they now integrate into their own development projects.

The headquarters of Build Inc. is a large 3-story building, but it occupies a relatively small footprint. Borrego Solar designed a custom system to yield optimal energy production on their limited flat roof space.

Sharp 185 watt solar modules were used due to their higher efficiency, and the solar array was mounted at a 10° pitch. The pitch is sufficient to encourage water runoff which cleans the solar modules, reducing maintenance costs.

Borrego Solar also designed and engineered a customer racking structure for the solar array. This custom racking elevates the array to promote air flow, which cools the solar modules and increase their production efficiency.

The Build Inc. solar electric system provides about 20% of the building’s energy requirements, saving the company more than $2,000 a year in utility bills, and whenever excess energy is fed back into the grid, Build Inc. receives a credit from PG&E.

Build Inc. received a rebate of $22,000 from the California Energy Commission covering approximately 40% of the project costs. Together with incentives, including a 10% Federal Tax Credit, 7.5% California State tax credit, and accelerated depreciation, the system has exceeded the company’s expectation for return on investment, and is now protected from any future utility rate hikes.