Page 39 - North American Clean Energy March/April 2019 Issue

Solar Carports
Solar Carports
advertorial
Design and installation best practices are crucial to achieve optimal coverage and production
2018 Installation Winner:
Baja Carports
Voted by Solar Power World user community; SPW released its seventh annual Leadership in Solar Program winners this past January 2019.
Baja Carports’ in-house design engineers and project managers place emphasis on the proposed site’s layout rst; “fact-checking” the property for its canopy feasibility. Following our best practices allows Baja to value engineer the solar support system con guration to best perform for the property and its owner, while also being economically ef cient. A credible and experienced installer will tell you that no two parking lot properties are the same! To achieve optimal coverage and PV production, the project’s entire installation must be site-speci c. An installer who sees the project as being boilerplate is one to pass on.
Baja’s preliminary customer discussions cover property speci cs such as elevations and other constraints, as well as wind and live load requirements which determine the canopies structural elements to meet its local jurisdiction building codes. Additionally, the property’s soil composition is needed to engineer the structure’s footings design. For some properties we encourage a thorough geotechnical soils report to get a much better idea of what’s underneath the asphalt and dirt. Keep in mind nowadays properties get repurposed. Utilities underneath get moved or are unmarked. The report can save the customer time and more importantly money!
The goal is always to know more than we need to about the property’s parking lot; it’s entries, exits, foot-traf c, ADA requirements, re-lanes, loading dock locations, dumpsters, water run-off, etc., Knowledge is power, literally. Baja’s expertise in parking lot design can lead to a more effective array system(s) as well as drive aisle maneuverability.
Baja Carports solar support systems cost-ef cient con gurations are generally pre-fabricated galvanized steel with bolted connections, and no eld welding.
All our solar support systems are delivered ready to install by Baja’s installation crews and managed by a Baja project manager. Our team has designed, engineered and installed thousands of projects nationwide since 1981, requiring custom con gurations on challenging properties with existing parking lots.
Visit bajacarports.com or call (800) 366-9600 to speak with a sales representative today!
North American Clean Energy
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