Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. (MassMutual) has completed its $2.4 million solar project at its headquarters in Springfield, Mass. The thermal panels will provide 50 percent of the campus' hot water needs while the photovoltaic system will provide 111 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity.
The entire system, which includes 528 photovoltaic and 96 thermal solar panels, was installed on 40,000 square foot of MassMutual's 9.6 acres of roof on its main campus. The panels are expected to reduce the insurance company's carbon emissions by 1,830 metric tons of CO2 over the expected 20-year+ life of the system.
MassMutual also expects the system to reduce the company's operating costs and fuel use.
In addition to the solar power system, the 5-month project included the installation of a white roof to reduce roof temperatures and internal air conditioning expenses, and to increase the operating efficiency of the solar panels.
The company also recycled and donated materials from the project. As an example, more than 2,000 boards of foam insulation removed from the company's roof were donated to ReStore, a non-profit home improvement center that sells leftover or unwanted building materials from construction projects at a discounted price.
MassMutual also reused more than 250 tons of stone ballast removed from the roof for drainage and landscaping around the main campus.