U.S. Environmental Protection Agency figures show that 73.2 percent of the 300 gallons of water the average American family uses daily requires heating for use in the shower, laundry, etc. Thermal (or solar) technologies “displace the need to use electricity or natural gas” to heat that water, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, to help consumers shrink their utility bills along with their carbon footprints. Together, Kingspan Environmental and Amidus are helping area clients reap the financial and environmental benefits of going solar.

“Amidus asked us to design a flat-panel solar thermal system for use atop an 11-story Arlington, Va., apartment building which serves 300 residents, who are primarily senior citizens,” said Seamus Cussen, commercial director for Kingspan Environmental in Jessup.

“After our 67-panel system was installed, their client saw dramatic improvements in both the efficiency and cost effectiveness of hot water delivery within that complex. That’s not surprising, since we expected this application of solar flat panels to save them as much as $8,000 in utility costs in the first year, with a break-even point at seven years.”

The Virginia property owners were also able to avail themselves of a 30 percent federal tax credit related to the installation of the Kingspan Environmental's solar flat panels by Amidus. “In some cases, local tax incentives and property tax deductions can help reduce the cost of residential and commercial solar thermal projects even further,” Cussen said.

Kingspan products are used in solar hot water system installations across the United States and Canada, benefiting institutions and businesses like George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Texas A&M University at Kingsville, and Cliff House Resort & Spa in Maine.

“I found my initial experience with Kingspan to be highly satisfactory from many different perspectives: technical, client engagement, service and product quality,” said Pranay Kholi for Amidus, a clean-energy consulting firm headquartered in Maryland. “I’ve since worked with them on many more projects.”

“The [client is] happy with the results of our collaboration and with how the products, project and whole system performed and continue to perform. They are also happy about the savings they’ve achieved so far — in both energy-related and financial terms.”

From a technical standpoint, Kinspan Environmental's flat panel solar collectors are:

• High performing for high yield

• Built to efficiently harness solar energy

• Ideal for residential and commercial applications

• Designed and engineered to withstand long-term use

• Backed by generous technical support and warranty programs

“Kingspan Environmental offers a very well-balanced, complete portfolio of renewable energy technology,” said Kholi, who also serves as a director of the Maryland-DC-Virginia Solar Energy Industries Association, and as an advisor to both the Institute for Energy & Environmental Research and the Maryland Clean Energy Center. “Their products are some of the best in the industry, offering performance, longevity and value for money.”

For more information, visit www.kinspansolar.com.