Caltrans District 11 Office  San Diego, CA

Located north of Taylor Street in San Diego, the new Caltrans District Office houses nearly 1,000 employees and includes a storage facility, an automotive shop and surface parking for more than 800 vehicles. One of the most prominent features of the new office complex is the solar grand trellis, which appears to reach out to drivers on the adjacent interstate 8.

Caltrans’ objective when building the complex was to provide a safe, efficient, and eco-friendly environment for the District’s employees. Ideally it would also reduce operating expenses. Several studies were conducted into energy efficient building options which led to Caltrans’ interest in solar renewable energy.

Christopher Gerber of Carrier Johnson, the project architects, realized that solar photovoltaic modules would be a cost effective shade material for the planned trellis structure, and figured the modules would pay for themselves as well as offset other material costs. The solar array ended up being the only part of the project to provide such a benefit.

Borrego Solar was commissioned to design and install a solar electric system that would function as a shade structure while generating enough electricity to reduce utility bills for the entire office complex.

With the completion of their solar electric power installation, Caltrans is paving the road to California’s energy security and environmental sustainability. The state’s energy consumption, particularly during peak daytime hours, is increasing at an exorbitant rate. This solar electric system will help to alleviate stress on the grid during peak periods, and at the same time reduce the facility’s operating costs.

As an incentive for early adoption, Caltrans received a $59,000 rebate from the California Energy Commission to offset the cost of the installation and give them a greater return on their solar investment. Commercial entities investing in solar also qualify for state and federal tax credit as well as accelerated depreciation.