Home Grown Clean Energy at Bay Colony

Bay Colony shines with the largest garage-mounted solar canopy in the Northeastern United States.

Development of onsite renewable energy at existing parking garages reduces carbon emissions, utility costs, and provides covered parking for customers and visitors.

In August of 2014, Boston Properties, Healthy Planet Partners and Solaire Generation “Flipped the Switch” on the largest garage-mounted solar canopy in the Northeastern United States. Located at Bay Colony in Waltham, Massachusetts, the 842kW solar canopy covers 60,000 square feet (1.4 acres) atop the 950 Winter Street parking garage.

Decarbonizing with Renewables

Annually, the system will produce one million kWh of electricity, the energy equivalent to twenty percent of Bay Colony Building 950’s total consumption; or, enough energy to power 130 Massachusetts homes and offset 340 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

In addition to generating clean energy, the proprietary Solaire R5 Long-span canopy shelter and water management infrastructure provide covered parking that protects tenants, customers, and visitors at 950 Winter Street from the elements.

BXP partnered with Solaire Generation and Healthy Planet Partners under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to deliver the system. As the Net Metering Credit (NMC) buyer, BXP agreed to host the array and to purchase NMCs generated by the system. The transaction reduces energy emissions and the total utility cost for the customers at Bay Colony. BXP’s stakeholders will benefit from renewable energy for the next 20+ years without any initial and/or ongoing operating costs. Delivery of the system was complicated by the logistics of building on an occupied parking garage. Over the course of an eight week schedule, 300 tons of steel and 2,850 solar photovoltaic panels were installed. The construction tasks required careful coordination to meet parking needs and to guarantee a safe and successful renewable energy installation