Solar Hot Water at Squirrel Brand

Through MassCEC’s Low Income Solar Thermal Program, a new solar hot water (SHW) system was just installed on the Squirrel Brand Building in Cambridge, a low-income multi-family residential facility. Squirrel Brand was a former candy factory, known for its Squirrel Nut Zippers (chewy peanut caramels), and is now an affordable 18-unit complex with a public park and community gardens. The solar hot water system is a flat plate system that will provide about half of the domestic hot water needs for the building’s 40 residents.

The Low Income Energy Affordability Network (LEAN), as administrators of the Low Income Solar Thermal Program, selected the project out of over 50 projects that applied to the program for funding this year. The project was put out to bid early June with the help of technical consultants BEAM Engineering and Paradigm Partners, and S & H Construction, Inc. was selected in late June as the primary contractor. Installation of the system began late July 2011.

Squirrel Brand Estimated Hot Water Usage: 800GPD

SHW System Type: Indirect Closed Loop Glycol

Total SHW System Cost: $86,250