ICE dedicates solar-powered cold storage building

In a dedication ceremony March 19, Hamann Construction, Innovative Cold Storage Enterprises Inc. (ICE), San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), and SunPower Corporation are celebrating completion of ICE II, ICE’s new 134,511-square-foot cold-storage building.

ICE expects to achieve more than 75 percent reduction in energy costs at the facility as a result of the energy-efficient design and a 1.1-megawatt SunPower solar power system.

"Expanding the operations of ICE, this new building will store four times as much product as the original plant while using half the power—and the SunPower solar system on the roof will generate the equivalent of 72 percent of the energy used by the facility," said Gregg Hamann, vice president of Hamann Construction, designers and builders of the project. "The ‘cool roof,’ designed to maximize insulation, would have been jeopardized by a solar system that required roof penetration for installation. The SunPower PowerGuard non-penetrating rooftop system was perfect because it maintains the integrity of the insulated roof, installs quickly, and provides additional insulation and protection."

Financing for the solar power system was shared equally by Innovative Oil and Gas, a Hamann entity, and SDG&E. Accordingly, each owns half of the solar power system and the renewable energy credits associated with it. SDG&E collaborated with Hamann as part of its Sustainable Communities Program, which sponsors green building, energy efficiency, and renewable energy initiatives. The utility awarded Hamann and ICE more than $225,000 in incentive funding.

Using conversion formulas from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the system is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by almost 1.5 million pounds annually. In addition, Hamann designed the facility to include:

•High-efficiency ammonia refrigeration.

•Motion detector-controlled LED lighting.

•Ten 1-kilowatt wind turbines.

•Rechargeable forklifts.

•Extremely narrow aisle racking.

•Rainwater collection systems to achieve water savings.

Hamann expects the facility to attain gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.