Lend Lease Group : Soaring Heights Solar Project Hits Milestone

Ground Array, Roof-Top System Generate 15 millionth 'hour of power'

SOARING HEIGHTS DAVIS-MONTHAN AFB, ARIZ. --- Soaring Heights, which manages family homes and communities at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., announces the generation of more than 15 million kWh (kilowatt hours) of power from its solar power project. That's enough electricity to power the average home for more than 16 centuries (approximately 1,660 years).

Last May, the final solar panel on the community's 2.75 megawatt rooftop power generation system was laid into place. In 2009, the community's 3.28 megawatt ground array of solar panels was completed. Together, this project comprises the largest solar powered community in the continental United States. The ground array, alone, recently hit production of 10 million kWh.

"Since the start of our project, we have hit a few very positive milestones, from completing construction of many of our homes ahead of schedule to installation of a tremendous solar power system," said Jim Switzer, Soaring Heights project director. "Hitting the 15 millionth kilowatt hour produced by our community's array and roof-mount systems serves as a reminder that we are doing what is right for our environment and our military families living in our homes. What we are able to save through conservation and smart use of alternative energy can be put back into programs that support our families at Davis-Monthan AFB."

While many similar planning efforts to supply electricity to communities across the nation are underway, Soaring Heights is realizing immediate benefits. "Many companies and organizations have been planning to adopt alternative energy platforms for years," said John Karelis, utility manager at Soaring Heights. "It is extremely gratifying to see a project go from planning to implementation to real, substantial results over such a short time. It is really quite a remarkable thing that is happening here."

The contractor that worked with Soaring Heights to bring the systems online is SolarCity of San Mateo, Calif. "Soaring Heights is one of the world's largest solar-powered communities, and a signature project for the industry," said Aaron Gillmore, SolarCity's vice president of solar development. "We're grateful to Lend Lease for the opportunity to design and install a project to provide renewable electricity for service members."

Other leaders within Lend Lease are recognizing the milestone and project as forerunners of a growing, robust effort to implement solar power projects across the company's portfolio.

"This is a huge milestone for not only Soaring Heights, but for Lend Lease as a whole. Davis-Monthan, is the first solar development project within Lend Lease's (US) Public Partnerships portfolio," said Simon Muir, director and vice president of Lend Lease's Solar Services. "We continue to work within our portfolio to secure cost-effective solar solutions for our communities, and currently have another project with SolarCity under construction at Hickam AFB, Hawaii,, and several others in the pipeline.

"These projects also help support Lend Lease's aspiration to be a leader in sustainable development directly supporting our partnership in the Obama Administration's Better Buildings Challenge (BBC)," concluded Mr. Muir. "As part of our participation in the BBC we have committed to reducing energy consumption across our entire Public Partnerships portfolio by 20 percent within the next three to five years."

Lend Lease utilized internal business group, called Solar Services, to support the development of the projects. Solar Services are also helping clients secure and deliver high quality development and EPC solar solutions across the United States.

Soaring Heights, a Lend Lease community, is one of many project sites in the Lend Lease family of communities serving more than 40,000 residential units to implement sustainable solutions.