Alaska: 1950s Building Going Eco-Friendly

1950s building to get eco-friendly makeover

BOB HALLINEN / Anchorage Daily News: Building owner Steve Zelener is having solar panels installed on the south facade, where the metal sheathing is now, of the building at 441 West Fifth Ave. in Anchorage. The project is expected to produce more than 11,000 kilowatts of electricity per year. "The more we can do to diversify our energy resources, the better we are in the long term," said tenant Nils Warnock of Audubon Alaska. Every little drop helps."Steve Zelener discusses the renovation. The panel at left is the type that will be installed in his office building. The others are older, less-efficient models.

February 9th, 2011 - One of downtown Anchorage's aging office buildings is about to get an eco-friendly makeover.

As the days grow longer this spring, a towering wall of 64 solar energy panels is scheduled to arise on the Fifth Avenue and E Street building, which sits just east of the Egan Convention Center. It's one of the few solar projects of its kind in Alaska.

The 1957 building already needed a face lift, said Anchorage businessman Steve Zelener, who purchased it last August.

Unsightly metal panels cover the building's south side -- the part most visible to pedestrians.

Zelener knew replacing the panels could cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Why bother with granite or metal? Why not create a ground-breaking renewable-energy project in the heart of downtown Anchorage? {continued}