The Roof of Hillcrest Church Has the Largest Solar Array in Medicine Hat
A forward-thinking church in Medicine Hat just combined their well-established teachings with new, advanced technology. It took careful planning and consideration, and the outcome is a prime example of community leadership.
Just two months ago, we completed installations for the largest solar array in Medicine Hat on Hillcrest Church. Learn about their decisions, timeline, community reactions, and the technology used that maintains the integrity of their roof.
Making the Decision to Install Solar Panels
Executive Pastor Glenn Runnalls and the team at Hillcrest had been considering solar panels for five years before they made it a reality.
As a significant community gathering space, they saw an opportunity to make the building one that not only benefits the people attending it, but the environment, as well. The solar panels allow them to significantly reduce their carbon footprint and inspire others to consider the technology, as well.
While at first the project seemed uneconomical, they kept it in mind and revisited the idea with a new outlook, as Glenn explains below.
“It really was coming up with an economic model that made sense. We didn’t want to fundraise for it. And so then it was a matter of, ‘Hey, can we make payments on this that would be no more than the payments we’d be [making] on the electricity?’ And so … we were able to finance this in a way that the savings covered the financing.”
Sound economics was the deciding factor in putting the project into action. Of course, our team at Terralta were happy to make this happen and help them reduce their carbon footprint.
How We Designed for Net Zero
There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to solar panels. Each of our arrays are designed specifically for the space available, energy consumption, climate, and geographic location of the project.
Energy From the Solar Array Matches the Church's Utility Consumption
For Hillcrest church, we contacted the City of Medicine Hat to obtain precise utility consumption data. We then designed the system to match consumption.
We considered the space available, the energy needed, and the sun exposure throughout the year and created a custom array for their building.
As a Canadian city, we designed the system for the climate and latitude of Medicine Hat. The building will use all of the solar energy first to operate the electrical utilities. When there is remaining energy, likely created from optimal sun position, the energy gets sent back to the grid for a credit on the building's utility bill. The church is set up to achieve net-zero electrically over the year.
A Welcomed Project in the Community
Hillcrest met with the public to discuss the project and received positive feedback overall. Hesitations that arose were related to the design of the proposed system, not the idea itself. Hosting the panels on the roof was a must—they didn’t have the space on the ground and the roof provided the perfect opportunity. Having said that, the current design blends in with the building well enough to go unnoticed if you’re not looking for it.
We worked through design challenges and came out with a model that now inspires others in the community to consider solar panels for their own homes.
On our end, we were met with many questions from utility providers due to the size of the project; the solar array is, after all, the largest one in Medicine Hat. Although the technology has been around for many years, projects of this size are not yet common here, proving that Hillcrest exhibits excellent leadership and forward-thinking.
Our team at Terralta along with utility providers, the city, and the church, all came to a mutual understanding as we agreed the project would benefit both the city and the church. Marcus Campbell, Co-Owner of Terralta, describes the passion that drives our local solar projects in Medicine Hat.
“Projects like these hit close to home because they are projects that are for a local organization, developed by a local company, that employs local people. We’re proud to make solar energy projects available for city residents and beyond.”
No Additional Risk of Roof Leaks With Standing Seam Installation
A common hesitation concerning roof-top solar panels is the possibility of leaks. This is a legitimate and logical concern; anything that puts holes in a roof makes it susceptible to leaks.
That’s why we used Standing Seam Installation; it’s a technique that doesn’t create any protrusions or additional holes in the roof. Our technology allows the panels to sit securely on top of the roof to perform their function.
We knew standing seam installation would be an appropriate way to maintain the integrity of the roof.
Hillcrest’s Solar Panels Are Performing Well
Since the project was recently completed (just two months prior to writing this article), Hillcrest is currently watching the numbers come in. As we explained, energy production will be slower during the darker months and that’s what they’re currently experiencing.
Hillcrest’s facilities manager will continue to monitor energy production levels. It’s been an honour to work with Glenn and his team at Hillcrest, building the largest solar array in Medicine Hat. They’re showing true leadership in our city, and have a great experience to tell other local residents about.
“We were really happy. They are very professional, and caring all the way through. Personally, I met with Marcus several times. Our facilities manager met quite a bit. He was really happy. Marcus is both professional and personable, a really unusual combination.”
