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Schools

San Lorenzo Schools Utilize Parking for Solar Panels

San Lorenzo School District parking lots are being converted into solar panel space.

Seven schools and the district office in the will be outfitted with solar panels during the next six months as a part of Measure O.

Passed in 2008, Measure O is an $83 million general obligation bond for renovations and additions to the San Lorenzo Unified School District.

The eight facilities that will have solar panels installed are , , , , , , , and .

The solar panels are projected to save the school district $400,000 per year in electric bills.

They will be placed on a series of terrace’s above parking spaces. These terraces will also shade vehicles.

During construction, this may cause inconvenience for faculty and those students who drive.

“It’s (the solar panels) going to be built in the student parking lot along Grant Ave.," said Arroyo High principal Larry Smith. "In the meantime students will be parking farther away."


While placing the panels on building rooftops may seem like the more pragmatic option, it will be more expensive because it would require rooftop improvements as well as a design that allows for rooftop access and future repair.

Dayton Elementary
and will not be outfitted with solar panels because of neighbor proximity at Bay, and limited parking space at Dayton.

The largest projects will be San Lorenzo High and Arroyo High.

Site work is set to begin this month. The actual construction will occur between November and February of 2012.

“So far they have not done much,” said Bohannan Middle School principal Gail Yothers. “They did take down our beautiful trees though."

For more information of Measure O, visit the San Lorenzo Unified School District website.

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