District Plans to Generate Its Own Electricity

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Community College District recently introduced a plan that would allow the district’s nine campuses to generate all of their electricity with solar panels.

The plan could cost up to $9 million and would include installation of photovoltaic panels that would produce one megawatt of power at each campus. Currently, each campus uses less than one megawatt.

The project is part of the district’s effort to implement sustainable design elements at all of its campuses. The solar panel project and other developments are funded with money generated from the $2.2 billion Proposition A/AA bond, which was approved by voters in 2001 and 2003 to modernize the district and introduce sustainable development programs.

Future projects include plans for a central renewable energy plant, conservation efficiency contracts, and sustainability curriculum at each campus.

The district is also working on a new satellite campus that was certified by the United Kingdom’s BREEAM system. Planners are aiming for LEED certification at the facility (See School Construction News September/October 2006).