Six months after opening the first phase a major transformation of their downtown Sarasota campus, Selby Botanical Gardens leaders on Thursday flipped a switch to make it the world’s first net positive energy botanical garden complex.
Officials turned on a state-of-the-art array of 2,158 solar panels that allow the garden campus to generate more energy than it uses. The solar panels, covering 57,000 square feet, were placed atop the new parking garage, officially known as the Morganroth Family Living Energy Access Facility or LEAF, and on the roof of the Steinwachs Family Plant Research Center.
The top of the LEAF also includes the Elizabeth Moore Rooftop Garden, where fresh produce will be grown to provide food for the Green Orchid restaurant on the ground floor.
The solar panels are expected to produce 1.27 million kilowatt hours per year, enough to power 175 average American homes and to exceed the Selby’s energy demands by 10%. It also is expected to save Selby about $100,000 in energy costs and offset 975 tons of carbon dioxide, or what officials said is the equivalent of taking 211 cars off the road. It also provides the restaurant, operated by Michael’s on East, 100% carbon-free cooking with its fully electric operation.
Energy production will be monitored over the next year for Living Building and Living Community Petal Certification by the International Living Future Institute to demonstrate the system’s effectiveness.
The opening ceremony was led by Jennifer Rominiecki, president and CEO of Selby Gardens, along with John Byrd, associate principal and director of design performance for Overland Partners Architecture and Urban Design, and Patrick Attwater, CEO of One80 Solar, which developed, engineered and constructed the solar array.
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