1192-unit Maryland Condominium Gets Solar Hot Water

By Anne Fischer 4 November 2013. In the past, solar and condos have not had a good relationship because many condominium associations veto the installation of any type of solar. But in Maryland (US) the Greenbriar Condominiums is a unique community in that it has a sustainability plan. The 1192-unit community in Greenbelt, Maryland is getting its electrical needs met 100% by wind power and recently flipped the switch on a 59-collector solar hot water system that uses state-of-the-art, low-cost technology. The solar equipment installed at Greenbriar by Skyline Innovations is designed to pre-heat the city water supply before it reaches the conventional natural gas fired boilers. Because the water is warmer when it reaches the fossil fuel-powered water heater, that water heater turns on less frequently and the residents of the community save energy and money. To pre-heat the domestic water supply, fluid is pumped through fifty-nine TEVA MaxG2 solar energy collectors on the roof of the Greenbriar plant, collecting heat like a garden hose left in the sun. A Polaris double-walled heat exchanger transfers the heat from solar panels into the cold potable water supply. At night, when the sun is gone and the outdoor temperature is cold, a Resol pump controller senses the temperature of the solar panels and turns off the solar pump leaving the gas-fired water heater to function normally.
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