HarborTides

Posted in: News on 10/27/09 at 4:13 PM PST

Photo by Alex Del Campo

Los Angeles Harbor College's newest additions to the campus, the solar panels, are scheduled to be completed in mid December according to David Humphreys, Dean Academic Affairs and Curriculum. The panels, which take effect in mid to late December, will produce approximately 85% of energy produced for the campus. It's part of a district-wide effort to eliminate excessive costs and our carbon footprint. According to a presentation provided by Larry Eisenberg, LACCD Facilities Planning and Development, the panels are expected to save about $200,000 per institution, annually.

The life expectancy of the solar panels are estimated to be 30 years, but LAHC will amortize its costs in 20, according to Humphreys. For the next ten years we will be saving money that would have originally been used on electricity. "[This is] money that will then be put into educational programs. So in the end this does benefit the students directly."
Some students have already taken notice to the construction that has taken place. "I'm just happy they gave us our parking space back." said Armando Vasquez, Business. "I was upset before that I had to fight for parking, but now I'm kind of glad they did it. Harbor is looking really nice right now." [SIC]

Construction Manager of Chevron Energy Solutions, Gerry Hubble, assured that no parking spaces were removed to install the panels. In fact, 100 new spots have been added to the student and staff lot. According to Hubble, maintenance is as simple as a rainy day. They will get washed down by rain and will still actively produce energy despite the lack of sunlight. Regardless of the weather, they will always keep receiving and storing energy from the sun.

The solar paneling is one part of a proposed plan. Other ideas that have been proposed, but have not been approved nor denied are using 100% recyclable material for furniture and carpeting, coating the outside of the buildings with Anti-Graffiti sealer to allow easier graffiti removal, and TiO2 (Titanium Dioxide) spray on the windows to avoid ever cleaning them. Also, water conservation is supported by using waterless urinals and making the best use of native plants. Some already approved additions that will make an appearance soon on campus are the construction of a five-story parking lot, the new P.E Building, a new library and the reconstruction of the old Administration Building. Harbor has a variety of proposals that are still under consideration.

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