Resthaven goes solar

South Australian aged care and retirement living provider Resthaven is installing solar panels across its residential care facilities, community services, and corporate offices.

With the roll-out expected to be completed in July, the project will reduce the organisation’s carbon emissions by 9 per cent.

“Resthaven is working to reduce our impact on the environment and to cut our carbon footprint,” said Resthaven chief executive officer Darren Birbeck. “We are committed to fulfilling our environmental responsibilities. Investing in solar is just one of the ways we are doing this.”

The rooftop solar systems are a combined 1,511 kilowatts and are expected to generate 2,252 megawatt hours annually.

Once the solar panels are installed at each Resthaven site, residents, staff and community members will be able to keep track of the energy the panels generate via a monitor in the reception area.

Emmet O’Donovan – Resthaven’s manager, building and capital works – said the organisation’s multiple sites across the state means there is a large amount of roof space that can be utilised for solar installations.

“The nature of our business means that we have a large roof footprint. We are utilising this to generate the greatest solar energy possible.”

He added: “A lot of our energy usage is during the day so we are able to directly use what we generate, as well as return some energy to the grid.”

The solar project is part of Resthaven’s broader carbon emissions reduction plan which also includes reticulated water for gardens, energy-efficient lighting, and waste minimisation strategies.

All of Resthaven’s buildings also incorporate environmentally friendly design, redevelopments and refurbishments with the aim of improving the environmental impact of existing buildings.

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