Building and Land Technology turns on solar at Silicon Harbor

Stamford, CT One of the state’s largest rooftop solar installations was unveiled on September 26^th at the 500,000 s/f Silicon Harbor office complex in the city’s Harbor Point. Building Land and Technology (BLT), owner of Silicon Harbor and builder of the larger Harbor Point development, joined community members and elected officials to officially launch the system, which is expected to generate 732,400 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean, renewable energy per year, enough to power 70 homes. 

ENGIE Services U.S. installed 587.2 kilowatts (kW) of solar panels on the rooftop of the Silicon Harbor complex. The solar power system will reduce the carbon footprint of Silicon Harbor and reflects BLT’s commitment to developing next-generation sustainable workplaces. Silicon Harbor’s solar installation is expected to produce enough renewable energy to offset up to 10% of the property’s consumption when it is fully occupied.

“Our goal is to make Silicon Harbor stand out as an environmental leader, and the launch of our solar installation is a giant step in that direction,” said Carl Kuehner, III, chairman of BLT. “This cutting edge technology allows for massive gains in building efficiency and emission reduction and we want to be doing our part.”

Silicon Harbor is located in Harbor Point, a LEED-ND Gold certified mixed-use development on the South End waterfront of the city. Harbor Point features access to rail service, walkability, and a mix of commercial, residential, retail, and recreational development. Silicon Harbor formerly housed the corporate headquarters of Pitney Bowes, and has been re-envisioned by BLT for modern multi-tenant use. 

Much of Harbor Point is a redevelopment of several former brownfield sites that BLT has remediated through the development process. BLT’s remediation work on 100 acres of formerly environmentally impacted land in the South End and Waterside neighborhoods was selected by Brownfield Coalition of the Northeast (BCONE) as Winner of the Sustainable Communities Brownfield Redevelopment Award in 2018. Construction of the solar installation began in late March, and the system was first energized this summer. “Our team made sure to work around the needs of the owner and occupants, minimizing interruptions and distractions,” said Daniel Stewart, business development engineer at ENGIE Services. 

“Our relationship with Building and Land Technology has allowed ENGIE to help BLT achieve its environmental objectives, while at the same time creating a real and visible sign of our progress towards a clean energy future,” said Danielle Owen, vice president and general manager, ENGIE Services.