The new San Diego Ronald McDonald House, which opened its doors in June, is asking its donors to fund the purchase and installation of a 109kW photovoltaic array to produce solar energy, which will result in approximately
a 30% savings in power costs.
The House replaces an older 12-bedroom facility with a 65,000-sq-ft, 47-bedroom building constructed on top of a six-story parking structure located adjacent to the Rady Children’s Hospital.
Under the leadership of the Ronald Mc-Donald House Charities of San Diego, the team responsible for making the new House a reality includes architect Joseph Wong Design Associates, project manager 4G Development and Consulting Inc., and construction manager Barnhart, Inc.
The team was committed to constructing the $12.8 million facility at cost. The team’s efforts and the participation of approximately 40 subcontractors, labor and materials valued at nearly $3 million were donated by the time the project was finished.
One of the goals of the project was designing and constructing the building to conform to green standards and practices, making the structure as energy-efficient as possible. Using an environmentally sensitive building envelope design and high-effi ciency lighting and mechanical systems, the project uses 17.5% less energy than a typical similar-sized building in California.
The Barnhart team responsible for the construction project includes Brian Cahill, director of operations; Chuck McArthur, senior project manager, Dave Christensen, general superintendent; and Donnie Luster, Deborah Stepp, Shawn O’Neill, Pamela Taylor and Ed Way.
