On Friday, June 12, the Greenbelt Consumer Cooperative signed off with its contractor on the first completed element in the Rays on the Roof project that was only a dream a mere 18 months before. On final completion of the new roof, Project Manager Steve Skolnik thanked the contractor, Adelphia Contracting, citing their willingness to collaborate to get the job done and their attention to detail and craftsmanship. The road had been long, the result successful.
In January 2019, the Co-op kicked off its Rays on the Roof campaign. With a much-deteriorated roof originally installed in the 1960s and updated several times since, the store was fighting leaks, facing a growing repair bill and risking major damage to store infrastructure. Co-op is responsible for the physical fabric of the store, including replacing major building components even though the building is rented. Co-op faces stiff competition from cut-price stores and chain pharmacies, leaving it short of funds for major projects.
The Solar Option
As the urgent need for a new roof came into focus, so did the idea of solar power. Electricity is a significant expense – powering refrigeration, space cooling, heat distribution and lighting. Though first contemplated earlier and shelved for cost reasons, solar panel efficiency has since increased and cost decreased. New roofing standards include insulation (the original roof was minimally insulated), making the store more energy efficient so solar can supply an even larger fraction of power needs.
The Campaign Begins
The store began an ambitious and daring campaign – to get, in short order, both a grant from the state to help with the cost and donations and loans from citizens to finance a match by the community. In three months, the store raised capital in loans and donations of over $400K and applied for a state grant of $350K for the solar component.
The project moved forward steadily. Skolnik, with decades of leadership in construction, volunteered as project manager and Dorrie Bates, who worked on the Co-op’s earlier grant, became the state liaison. Adelphia Contracting was selected as the roofing contractor and the process began. But the fast start was followed by delays in getting county building permits, pushing the start to winter when weather began impacting progress.
Despite this, the roof closed out under initial estimates because contingency funds set aside to address hidden problems in the underlying roof were not needed.
Solar Struggles
On the solar side, early promising progress also hit road blocks which fortuitously seem to have cleared the same week the roof was completed. The Maryland State Assembly awarded the grant in principle in 2019, but as the paperwork moved through the process, it appeared that because the store was leased, the store owner was required to indemnify the state if the property was sold. Because his agreement with Co-op specifically stated the solar array was Co-op property, he justifiably refused to sign. With resolution delayed by COVID-19, the project was stalled until just this week, when the gentle but relentless pressure kept up by Bates resulted in the state removing the owner signature requirement. Bates is hopeful that the grant will be funded in July.
Solar to Move Forward
Thus Skolnik can again don his jaunty hard hat and set the solar contractor in motion. Solar may also take some months because county approvals and coordination with Pepco are required – completion is likely no earlier than fall.
Though repaying the loans absorbs most savings initially, some savings remain and with zero roof repairs, the Co-op bottom line is better even during the remaining nine years of payments. The solar array’s lifespan is 25 years plus, so in 2030, the array’s full production goes to offset costs. This far-sighted investment helps preserve a viable Co-op for future residents.
Greenbelters are encouraged to continue to contribute to the Rays on the Roof campaign through cash register donations.
For information on Rays on the Roof, check out the Co-op website at Greenbelt.coop.