The Jail That Got into Hot Water

The County of Waukesha engaged Grunau Metals to fabricate and install a 60' x 60' framework to support a solar array to sit on top of the Jail. Teaming up with their Mechanical and Electrical controls Division, this 56 Thermal Solar Panel System that heats water generates 4,640 therms per year to heat the 3,000 gallons of hot water used daily by the jail. This is an equivalent savings to electrically heated water of 130 Kw of power, or 105 megawatts per year.

In addition to the already stringent rules that needed to be followed in working at the jail, there were a few interesting things to note on the project. Due to the proximity of the jail to the Waukesha airport, the various trades working on the project needed to coordinate to obtain FAA approval to use a mobile truck crane for the job. Each day, Grunau Metals was only allowed to create as many openings in the roof as they could seal up at the end of the day so the inside wasn't exposed to weather.

Grunau Metals is well versed in solar installations, as demonstrated by their own solar array on top of their Oak Creek facility. If you're considering retrofitting a building with solar, Grunau Metals has great experience in adapting solar units to existing roofs, and can engineer and install a complete system for you from start to finish.