Innovative and Groundbreaking Rooftop Solar Canopy

Young Electric, San Francisco, CA

January 30, 2023

A fully elevated solar canopy structure was recently constructed on top of the roof at 195 Erie Street in San Francisco’s Mission District, which was engineered to meet snow load, wind load, and seismic zone. 

Day & Night Solar, a turnkey solar solutions provider located in Collinsville, Illinois, worked closely with Young Electric and IBEW Local 6 to provide a creative solar rooftop solution. They collaborated to create the solar canopy, materials procurement, and construction on the project. 

Young Electric & Communications is a long-standing electrical contractor serving the greater San Francisco Bay Area with their headquarters located in the heart of the city. An array that will meet 100% of their electric needs was recently constructed on the roof. This is a solar system project that is the first of its kind in San Francisco. No one has ever been able to add enough modules to the roof of an industrial building in San Francisco due to issues such as rooftop equipment and lack of space, as well as maintaining code compliant pathways for first responders to gain roof access. This meant much of the roof’s surface needed to be left clear. How was this done? The solution was to go up. The canopy provides a high clearance at 8 feet to allow access to the rooftop and houses a solar array with 270 panels, generating 145.6 kilowatts of power. All work meets fire codes and the free-flowing open plan will allow first responders space to safely maneuver on the roof.

“We’ve been wanting to add solar for years, but space limitations made it not worthwhile for our business. Day & Night Solar worked closely with us to overcome this challenge and design the system to meet both our performance needs and the City’s permitting requirements, ” said Wayne Huie, President and CEO of Young Electric. “We’re proud of this project and are excited to help others add systems like this to their facilities.” 

Day & Night Solar works around the nation and brings a broad range of expertise and technical know-how to design, engineer, and get projects approved.

“One of the most unique items for DNS was the need to get a very clear message to the local fire officials and city officials that in no way would or could this interfere or hinder a first responder.  DNS took that to heart and developed a virtual reality program to demonstrate in “3D” what the first responder would expect to encounter and how the canopy would cause no safety issues.” said Bob Eaton, Managing Member of Day & Night Solar (DNS). 

This virtual demonstration is what provided peace of mind to the San Francisco Fire Department and allowed the project to move forward. At the end of the day, “we must protect those who protect us,” said Mr. Eaton.

Day & Night Solar offers all services needed to design, install, finance, and maintain renewable, solar energy systems. Since opening its doors in early 2009, Day & Night Solar has responded to the rapid demand in the growing solar industry by expanding from its roots in Southern Illinois to working with clients across the entire United States.

For more information on Day & Night Solar click here.