Workers install solar panels on the roof of Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting House. by Jan Alex Since its initial construction in 2013, the Chestnut Hill Friends Meetinghouse, at 20 E. Mermaid Lane, has …
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by Jan Alex
Since its initial construction in 2013, the Chestnut Hill Friends Meetinghouse, at 20 E. Mermaid Lane, has been set on a path to green energy. Before construction even began, however, the Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting was committed to designing a building with Quaker values in mind.
Last week, solar panels were installed on the Meetinghouse roof, but the building has been ready for them since its construction was finished almost four years ago. According to Bill McCall, a member of the CHFM Stewardship Committee and the point man for the installation project, the building’s roof was actually specially designed to accommodate the panels.
In a conversation with the Chestnut Hill Local, he said that if one were to look at the roof before and after the installation, you would see that the solar panels “fit like a glove”.
The installation was completed by Open Sky Energy, a solar panel installation company, and cost $50,000. The money was raised from among the members and attendees of the Meeting, and several solar development companies made bids to take on the project. According to McCall, Open Sky Energy “had the right bid for us … and has done a tremendous job with the installation.”
The installation marks the completion of the Meetinghouse, and the fulfillment of the Meeting’s eco-friendly vision for their place of worship and reflection.