-FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-
FAIRFIELD, Iowa, January 20th, 2017 – Two customers of Fairfield-based solar company Ideal Energy won 1000 Friends of Iowa’s 2016 Best Development Awards. The annual awards showcase sustainable development projects throughout the state. Solar power was an integral part of each award.
Founded in 2009 by Troy and Amy Van Beek, Ideal Energy has grown from a small energy audit consultancy to a full service solar energy company with 30 employees. Recent commercial-scale projects include the Schaus-Vorhies Manufacturing solar field on Ninth Street in Fairfield and Stuff Etc consignment stores in Coralville and Cedar Rapids.
Steffensmeier Welding & Manufacturing won a Best Development Award in the Renewable Energy category for its solar field. Todd Schneider won in the Renovated Residential category for the School House Apartments redevelopment project.
Steffensmeier is a welding and light manufacturing company near Pilot Grove, Iowa. Jennifer Steffensmeier, president and owner, hired Ideal Energy to design and build a net-zero solar installation for her company. A net-zero solar installation produces 100% of a customer’s energy needs from solar power. This was a substantial challenge due to the energy-intensive welding and laser cutting work done by the company.
Ideal Energy designed a 430 kilowatt key-shaped ground-mount array and an innovative power management strategy to deliver net-zero performance. Steffensmeier is now the largest welding and manufacturing facility in Iowa powered completely by the sun.
The School House Apartments building is a renovated, decommissioned middle school in Fort Madison, Iowa. Schneider purchased the old Fort Madison Middle School from the school district, which was planning to demolish the building, and redeveloped it into high-quality, affordable apartments.
Ideal Energy worked with Schneider throughout the grant writing process, helping him win nearly $3 million in Community Development Block Grants from the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Schneider installed low-flow fixtures, energy efficient water heaters, and additional insulation. Once the project had the go-ahead, Ideal Energy constructed a 300 kilowatt solar array. With all these upgrades School House Apartments is one of the greenest residential projects in Iowa.
1000 Friends of Iowa is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting responsible land use, smart growth, and sustainable development. The organization announced the winners in early January and honored the award recipients at a ceremony in Des Moines on January 19th.
Media Contact:
Amy Van Beek
Ideal Energy, Inc.
(641) 209-3288
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