SAS is a Privaately Owned Software Development company in Cary, NC... and also the town's largest private employer. It's always been a "cutting edge" sort of employer, allowing for flexable hours, promoting healthy lifestyles for employees, having healthcare on it's campus. You can see why it's been named the best place to work about a dozen times. Now, it's creating one of the State's Largest Solar-Energy Farms!
We even had the Secretary of Energy, Secretary of the Interior and Senator Hagan in town to do a Tour of the Cary, NC facility! Those of us in the Housing Business should be paying attention to the Energy Initiatives mandated in the White House Executive Order early this month - it could effect FHA Mortage Loans in the future! (I'm just sayin')
The reason this really caught my attention is because I'm very familiar with that area. Apparently I haven't been
paying attention, because they are already operating a 5 acre farm (complete with sheep for the landscaping crew - I mean if you're going green then go all the way, right?), and the articles I've been reading say it will be a 12 acre farm. This is REALLY cool, and I have NO problem with it...
But one article I read said they didn't have to cut down any trees for it?? That's the part I'm not getting. I hike Reedy Creek, I drive all around the front and back of SAS Campus - there's no "naturally NON-Treed" 12 acres? I guess there's an area there that was previously farm land?
Oh well, I think it's cool, and I like the fact that they have "smaller" sheep that might not jump up on the Solar Panels to cut their Grass!
Eleanor,
Its good that SAS put up the 'farm'.
I'm all for solar, much more than most people I know. I'm actually doing something about it.
I have a program to use sunshine to help RE agents sell their listings faster AND at higher prices!
And here's where I have a bit of a struggle with the story: "Those of us in the Housing Business should be paying attention to the Energy Initiatives mandated in the White House Executive Order early this month"
If it takes the government forcing this down our throats, then something is wrong. Majorly. Our change over has to be demand driven and market accepted. There are ways to make this happen without the government screwing things up. By trying to "help", we get more very bad side effects and money doing some bad things when it comes to who gets in office.
Being in these businesses: Construction, RE, green energy, I'm in the front lines every day. What the government is trying to do is admirable. How they're doing it is causing a lot more problems and lining the pockets of BIG BUSINESS.
I could go on and on. I've written a few posts on how to rectify this, but the crickets chirp.
Good story, but there's a lot more to this issue. I encourage everyone who has an interest to really get engaged in what Congress and the Administration are proposing and its adverse impacts.
Mike - I think this is a HUGE issue, because with the White House Executive Order this month, EVERY agency has to provide the White House Comprehensive details on how they are going to SIGNIFICANTLY cut Energy Use / Improve the Ecology! I think we could easily see FHA minimum standards for houses change!
I think we may start to see more of this as time goes. Here is a link to an article about a $400B plan to create a solar farm in the Saraha Desert to provide power to European countries. It makes sense to invest in these types of technology. It's great to see private enterprise stepping up to get involved and not just government programs.
Thanks for the post. I live in the Triangle and have not heard about this project. SAS should toot it's own horn a little louder.