Rooftop Solar’s Triple Play of Revenue, Community and Sustainability
Originally published on June 6, 2024, by Brielle Scott for NAIOP.
Rooftop and community solar projects can advance sustainability and ESG objectives, unlock a new revenue stream, enhance community relations, and boost property values. At I.CON East this week, NAIOP New Jersey CEO Dan Kennedy moderated a panel of speakers including Matt Schlindwein, P.E., managing partner for Greek Real Estate Partners; Mark Schottinger, president at Solar Landscape; and Kat West, LEED AP, director of sustainability at Turner & Townsend, to explore the transformative potential of rooftop and community solar projects for the industrial real estate sector.
Schottinger was direct from the start: “If you’ve got a warehouse, I want to lease your roof.”
Solar power, historically, meant solar panels on the roof generated power that was used by whoever was in the building, with zero potential for scalability.
“Community solar allows for a building owner to lease an entire rooftop, pump the electricity into the power grid instead of the building, and [allow] the surrounding community to subscribe to receive that power at a discount,” Schlindwein explained. Residents can access savings without having to install solar panels on their own roofs.