'Green' construction to provide environmentally friendly energy

The newly reconstructed Stillwell Avenue subway station in Brooklyn has become the city's first solar-powered train terminal, and one of the most environmentally friendly mass transportation sites ever built in the United States.

The 76,000-square foot state-of-the-art solar roof, manufactured by RWE SCHOTT Solar, is expected to contribute approximately 250,000 kilowatt hours a year to the station's non-traction power needs.

"For the first time, the city's subway system will have a clean and efficient source of energy, an environmentally sound way to keep this terminal up and running round the clock, year round," says Donald Press, General Manager, Advanced Materials. "The MTA has surely set an example for the rest of nation."

The new arched solar roof, consisting of 2,730 building integrated photovoltaic panels (BIPVs), covers the full width of the station and offers effective weather protection for travelers as well as station facilities. According to RWE SCHOTT Solar this seamless integration of the technology gives it a distinct aesthetic quality.

"Stillwell Avenue Station showcases what can be done with photovoltaics today," says Steve Cohen, Product Manager, Architectural Glass. "Solar systems don't have to be bulky add-ons to a structure anymore, but become an integral part of it."

RWE SCHOTT Solar's amorphous silicon thin-film solar panels were chosen in a rigorous evaluation process based on a variety of criteria, including price of the panels, cost of installation, power-generating efficiency and aesthetics. The solar panels also had to meet stringent structural and maintenance requirements such as the Dade County hurricane test.

The solar panels manufactured by RWE SCHOTT Solar are the largest thin- film panels in the world, requiring less framing to reduce installation costs. The partially transparent 5' x 20' glass laminate panels used in the station are made of clear glass and strips of thin-film amorphous silicon material.

According to RWE SCHOTT Solar, longevity and easy maintenance were primary concerns for the project, because New York's subway system operates around the clock and shutdowns are expensive.

"Integrating the technological and aesthetic vision for the station with the rigorous requirements of the MTA made this project especially challenging," says Press.

The solar roof was designed for easy access, allowing for maintenance and replacement of panels from above via an arched gantry and integrated maintenance cat walks. Monitoring makes detection of panels that are not functioning easy. Prior to installation, RWE SCHOTT Solar coded and tested each panel for size, weight and wattage. These specifics were entered into the monitor system to allow for quick detection of any deviation. Once identified, a problematic panel can be tested right on the shed and then easily replaced, if necessary. The MTA mandates specific light levels for platforms, based on perceptions of safety and security. The solar shed roof allows 20-25% light

transmission, helping to meet these requirements while reducing costs for daytime lighting.

"The Stillwell Avenue Station shows that a large public agency can lead the way when it comes to environmentally sound construction," says Press. "This station is destined to serve as a model for other projects throughout the country."

For pictures of Stillwell Avenue Station, please go to: ftp.schottus.com/stillwell

RWE SCHOTT Solar is a joint venture of the RWE Group and the SCHOTT Group. All marketing initiatives for BIPV thin-film solar panels in North America are handled by SCHOTT North America, Inc., Elmsford, NY.

SCHOTT is a technology-driven, international group that sees its core purpose as the improvement of how people live and work through expert solutions in specialty materials, components and systems. Its main areas of focus are special glasses and glass-ceramics for architectural applications, the household appliance industry, pharmaceutical packaging, optics and opto- electronics, information technology, consumer electronics, lighting, automotive engineering and solar energy.

SCHOTT has a presence in close proximity to its customers through highly efficient production and sales companies in all of its major markets. It has more than 17,200 employees producing worldwide sales of approximately $2 billion. In North America, SCHOTT's holding companies SCHOTT Corporation and its subsidiary SCHOTT North America, Inc. employ about 2,500 people in 16 operations.

Source: SCHOTT North America

CONTACT: Brian Lynch, +1-914-831-2287 for SCHOTT North America

Web site: http://www.schottglass.com/