The gigantic parking lot surrounding JPMorgan Chase’s Polaris office complex is about to get a sustainability upgrade. Yesterday the company announced plans to install seven solar arrays on elevated carports in the lot, supporting a total of 32,000 individual solar panels.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2021, at which time the company says the new panels will generate nearly 60 percent of the complex’s annual energy needs. When combined with existing rooftop panels – which were installed in 2019 – about 80 percent of the total energy needs of the facility is expected to be generated on site.
The rooftop and parking lot panels together will make the Polaris McCoy Center home to the second largest commercial office solar installation in the world, according to the company.
“JPMorgan Chase is committed to creating solutions that protect the environment, and we are making good progress in our efforts to advance sustainability in our operations,” said Corrine Burger, Chief Control Officer and Columbus Location Leader for JPMorgan Chase, in a statement. “Together, with our overall local sustainability efforts, these solar installations will make a significant impact on reducing our local carbon footprint.”
The carport panels will have a targeted power capacity at 12 megawatts, or the equivalent of powering 1,142 homes. Plans also call for “parking guidance technology” to help people locate open spaces.
The two-million-square-feet McCoy Center is the largest office building in Columbus, housing about 10,000 employees.
