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February 16, 2012

Pathfinder Village goes solar; receives grant

Pathfinder Village, a residential community that serves individuals living with Down syndrome and other disabilities is moving toward a greener future through the installation of a whole-house solar hot water system at its Chenango House residence, according to a media release from Pathfinder.

The project was funded in part through a grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

The Chenango House installation is among the first to be installed through the NYSERDA program at a residential home that serves the needs of those with developmental disabilities. Jared Wood, lead installer, and Bob Hassman, owner of CNR Energy Solutions in Cooperstown, installed the 10-panel commercial closed loop hot water system at the village last October, which was designed to produce 400 gallons of hot water per day.

“Chenango House is open 24-7, and is home for ten of our oldest residents and those who have extensive medical needs. It is also used for those residents who cannot attend their regular day program due to appointments,” Dan Osborn, Pathfinder Village’s Senior Director of Ancillary and Quality Support Services said in the release. “On average, there are five to seven loads of laundry washed each day, the dishwasher runs four or five times daily, and hot water is used regularly for bathing, cleaning and medical uses. The home’s extensive hot water needs represent a challenge for any hot water system, and we’re very pleased with the performance of the solar hot water system so far.”

The solar collectors, which face due south, can produce up to 90 percent of the home’s hot water during summer months, and about half during the winter.

CNR Energy Solutions assisted the non-profit residential community in applying for a grant through the state’s energy research authority, which offers funding for residential and commercial solar thermal systems that reduce the need for electrically heated hot water.

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