Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

San Jacinto College Goes Solar

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/25/21

San Jacinto College, located in the metroplex area of Houston, Texas, has announced plans to add solar electricity arrays to two of its buildings. The arrays, designed and installed by Sunfinity Renewable Energy, are set to lower the school’s utility costs by millions and contribute to better air quality in the area.

“Solar generation is just one part of the college’s commitment to improving our energy efficiency,” said Dr. Brenda Hellyer, San Jacinto College Chancellor. “We have always been a trusted steward of the community’s resources. These solar arrays are simply a visible reminder of that ongoing commitment.”

One of the arrays, a 391 kW solar system with 990 solar panels, will go into the Central Campus’ Anderson-Ball Classroom Building, slated to open in Jan. 2022. The building measures in at 122,000 square feet, and is notable for using foundations from previous campus buildings and as the largest educational building in the country made of mass timber.

The other array, a 263 kW system with 667 solar modules, will go into the Jones Building on South Campus. The Jones Building is currently seeing a $13M renovation project that started late last year and is scheduled to finish by fall 2021. Part of the renovations include updating the classrooms for peak period use.

“Sunfinity has helped a wide range of businesses reap the benefits of solar energy,” said Sunfinity Chairman and CEO John Billingsley. “That includes nonprofit and for-profit organizations, but bottom line – it’s about the bottom line. A ‘commercial’ solar system can return hundreds of thousands of dollars—even millions—that can go toward other priorities. We think San Jacinto College has made a wise decision in going solar, and we appreciate their confidence in us.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Children walking along bright school corridor with motion blur

    How Next-Gen Design Is Reshaping the Student Experience

    The environments where students learn play a crucial role in shaping their growth in and out of the classroom. By centering design on well-being, flexibility, and purpose, districts can ensure their facilities remain vibrant community assets for many years to come.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Education Design Showcase Awards

    Spaces4Learning has opened submissions for the 2026 Education Design Showcase! The awards program launched in 1999 with the goal of celebrating innovative, practical solutions in the planning, design, and construction of K–12 and higher-education facilities. EDS recognizes new developments that help achieve optimal learning environments, as well as the architecture firms that brought the ideas to life.

  • Moline-Coal Valley School District to Consolidate Two Schools into New Facility

    The Moline-Coal Valley School District in Moline, Ill., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff from two existing schools, according to local news. Robert Ontiveros Elementary School will serve as the new home for Lincoln-Irving Elementary School and Willard Elementary School.