NORTH ANDOVER, MA -- (Marketwire) -- 11/07/08 -- RCG LLC, developer of East Mill, andtenant Nexamp, Inc., a veteran-owned energy and carbon solutions company,recently completed extensive onsite renewable energy and energy efficiencyimprovements. These green energy upgrades make Nexamp's corporate office a"beyond zero net-energy" workplace: a rare facility that produces moreenergy than it consumes. The improvements at East Mill -- a commercialcomplex of renovated 1850s mill buildings -- include a 67-kilowatt (kW)solar photovoltaic system, Hallowell Acadia efficient heating and coolingsystem, and other efficiency measures."RCG's goal is to develop sustainable mixed-use communities and attractlike-minded tenants. Fortunately, sustainability and profit can go handand hand," said David Steinbergh of RCG LLC. "By partnering with Nexamp toidentify and implement energy solutions at East Mill, RCG is realizing 15%to 20% rates of return on our clean energy investments, and East Mill'sefficiency upgrades insulate RCG and our tenants from rising energyprices."
"Nexamp is on track to install over 750 kW of clean energy projects in 2008and has grown to 25 employees, many of whom are veterans," said DanielLeary, President of Nexamp. "As growth increases our energy costs andcarbon footprint, it is important for Nexamp to practice what we preach andachieve the highest standard. I am pleased to have teamed with RCG to makeNexamp's corporate office a model for how to profitably go beyond zeronet-energy, even for older buildings such as East Mill."
Nexamp, Inc. designed and installed the solar photovoltaic and Acadiaefficient heating and cooling systems at East Mill. Supported in part by arebate from the Commonwealth Solar program launched by the PatrickAdministration in January, the 67-kW solar photovoltaic system generatesabout 200% of the power required to run the heating and cooling equipment,lighting, computers, servers, and appliances at Nexamp's 4,500 square footcorporate office. The Acadia system heats and cools the office at twicethe efficiency of a modern commercial fuel furnace or boiler. The solarphotovoltaic system feeds power directly into the building, offsetting theamount of power that must otherwise be purchased from the utility, andthrough a process called net metering, sells surplus generation back to theutility at the full retail rate. Only a handful of businesses inMassachusetts generate enough of their own energy to fully offset theirconsumption.
"This is a great example of what can be achieved by combining renewableenergy with energy efficiency to make buildings that produce as much energyas they consume, as Governor Deval Patrick has called on the design andconstruction industry to achieve through his Zero Net Energy Buildings TaskForce," Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Ian Bowles said."Nationwide, buildings account for 40 percent of all energy consumption anda third of all greenhouse gas emissions. Zero net energy buildings arevitally important to our clean energy future, and I congratulate the RCGand Nexamp team for taking this building even farther."
The solar photovoltaic system is engineered by Nexamp to last 30-plusyears. All of the major components are from Massachusetts companies,including solar panels from Evergreen Solar, an inverter from SolectriaRenewables, and a mounting system from PanelClaw. The solar photovoltaicsystem was partially funded by a rebate from the Massachusetts RenewableEnergy Trust.
About East Mill
Nexamp's corporate office is located in East Mill, the former East Campusof the Davis & Furber Machine Shop in North Andover, Massachusetts. Listedon the National Register of Historic Places, the East Mill propertyconsists of 235,000 square feet of mill buildings dating back to the 1850s.As developer for RCG North Andover Mills LLC, RCG LLC has breathed new lifeinto the once deteriorating property by introducing a mix of residential,retail, and higher quality office uses.
About RCG LLC
RCG LLC is a real estate investment, development, and management firm withoffices in the Greater Boston Metropolitan area, historic downtown Salem,Massachusetts, and Brevard, North Carolina. RCG owns and manages over 1,000apartments and retail units. The company develops and rehabilitatesresidential and commercial properties for rental or for sale. RCG's aim isto provide out-of-the-ordinary and environmentally friendly places to liveand work at reasonable prices, while also providing residents withresponsive, professional services. For more information:http://www.rcg-llc.com/
About the Installer, Nexamp, Inc.
Nexamp delivers a broad range of turnkey solutions that reduce energyconsumption and carbon emissions for businesses, governments, andhomeowners. Nexamp designs, builds, and maintains clean energy (solar,geothermal, wind, and combined heat and power) and energy efficiencysystems. Nexamp works with clients to analyze energy needs and implementthe most cost-effective energy and carbon reduction solutions. For moreinformation: http://www.nexamp.com/
