Leading the Way in Climate Change
PVA LEADING THE WAY IN CLIMATE CHANGE EFFORTS
Responding to the challenge set by SA Climate Ready, Peripheral Vascular Institute invests in 450 solar carports to improve city’s environmental sustainability
Peripheral Vascular Associates (PVA) recently completed the installation of a large solar carport at its downtown facility, 610 N. Main Ave. PVA is the only medical organization located in the downtown area that has adopted renewable power solar panels.
The benefits of these solar panels reach beyond the impact to our ever-changing climate. By generating its own energy, PVA is becoming less reliant on electric utility and reducing its monthly electric bill. So far in the month of April, 70% of the energy used at the 35,000 square foot building is being generated by the solar panels, greatly reducing the emissions that affect our climate.
With seven out of 12 months averaging temperatures over 80 degrees in San Antonio, another key benefit to this clean alternative source of power is that the solar panels act as covered parking for patients.
“The future impact and benefits of using a renewable energy source were the deciding factor in why we choose to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Dr. Grady Alsabrook, Vascular Surgeon, PVA. “We are proud to lead the way in responding to the challenge set by our Mayor through the SA Climate Ready plan and adopting changes that will make PVA an energy efficient organization.”
Mayor Ron Nirenberg began the planning process for the SA Climate Ready in December 2017. This plan brings together a diverse coalition of area leaders that include school districts, higher education institutions, neighborhood associations, the military, chambers of commerce, business and industry, among other community partners. The goal of SA Climate Ready is to meet the present and future challenges of a changing climate, building on actions already enacted for a low carbon future.
Robert Miggins, CEO and Co-Founder of GoSmart Solar, Texas’ leading solar carport provider, expressed his excitement about the downtown installation. “PVA is taking an extraordinary step in helping San Antonio become a more sustainable city,” he said. “The 168-kilowatt system we installed for them has already proven its worth, offsetting up to 80% of their recent power bills. We know that their actions will spur the development of additional solar carports within San Antonio.”
The PVA solar carport installation is an extension of Go Smart Solar’s 5-megawatt Big Sun Community solar program with CPSE, which gives San Antonio residents and business owners a unique opportunity to participate in sustainability by owning a solar system on offsite carports across the city.
“We wanted to address a global problem and be a part of the solution in our community,” said Dr. Lois Fiala, Vascular Surgeon, PVA. “Our investment leads to greater operational efficiency by reducing energy cost and potentially increasing profitability for the organization. But most importantly, we are proactively taking steps to ensure future generations can enjoy the natural resources we are protecting.”
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