This system will reduce SWG3's carbon footprint and allow SWG3 to operate more sustainably, reduce its carbon footprint and help in the fight against climate change.
SWG3's Operations Manager Bob Javaheri explained: "Heat is essentially thermal energy, and if you've ever found yourself in the middle of a packed out club night then you'll be well aware of just how much energy could be kicking around that room. [Traditionally, [w]hen you look to cool down those spaces using either air-conditioning or ventilation systems, you're pretty much pulling the heat out of a space and releasing it into the atmosphere."
With BODYHEAT, "[w]hat happens, in this case, is that instead of letting all that thermal energy just disappear into the night, it gets transferred to waters and piped deep underground into boreholes where that energy gets stored, much like a battery, to use at a later time," Javaheri explained to EcoWatch.
SWG3 is currently undergoing a radical green renovation in advance of COP26. Michael Hunter
BODYHEAT is being pioneered by TownRock Energy, a company specializing in heat pump technology that reached out to SWG3 when its founder David Townsend heard that Scotland's leading arts venue was considering a green energy retrofit, Fast Company reported.
"The story is that . . . I like clubbing," Townsend told the news report with a laugh. "I've done a lot of clubbing." He saw the opportunity as a chance to combine his passions and develop a club-specific heat pump project.
Heat pumps generally work by leveraging stable temperatures in underground rocks to balance out temperature fluctuations in buildings above the surface, Fast Company explained. Temperatures inside Earth's crust remain "relatively constant," so in the winter, colder air from a building gets pumped into the Earth to absorb heat from below. This then circulates back up to the building as warmer air. Once cooled, it continues back down to Earth in a cycle. In contrast, during summer, warmer air above ground pumps down to the cooler rocks below. The rocks absorb heat from the air, and cooler air returns back up to continue the cycle. The EPA shared a diagram of how this works.
SWG3 took this existing technology and added air collectors in its ceilings "to suck up the hot air put out by clubgoers on the floor," Fast Company reported. Other venues use these mechanisms to pipe hot air outside the building, but Townsend thought, "That wastes heat ... Why not capture it and use it? Otherwise, the heating is done by gas boilers."
BODYHEAT will send captured body heat up to 650 feet into the Earth, warming the surrounding rocks and cooling the club during parties. The rocks act like heat batteries, Fast Company explained, so during non-club times, when the building is used as an office or arts venue, that stored heat can be pumped back up from the rocks to warm the space.
These measures will allow for the club and music venue to operate more sustainably, and they're eliminating their traditional gas boilers completely, Townsend told Fast Company.
"This is the heating system for the venue," he said, noting that the body heat energy will be more than enough to warm the building during Glasgow's coldest months, which can average 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
The scheme is part of the UN-backed COP26 climate conference, which is slated to take place in Glasgow starting Oct. 31 of this year, Optimist Daily reported. As such, the Scottish city has been introducing a number of creative environmental initiatives and solutions to showcase what a more climate-friendly future might look like.
"The thing I love most about BODYHEAT is that it's all existing technology," Javaheri said. "Innovations aren't limited to inventing something new, and with so many conversations on a more sustainable future already happening in the city, I'm excited to see what else we'll be able to get off the ground by the end of it."
SWG3 is currently undergoing a radical green renovation in advance of COP26. Michael Hunter
The goal of the international summit will be to bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the COP26 website notes. As the host, the United Kingdom also shares its climate leadership actions on the page.
Currently finishing up their "radical [green] retrofit" to fully install BODYHEAT and sustainably-update other features, SWG3 will reopen on Nov. 7 during the climate change conference, TimeOut reported.
"BODYHEAT is our innovative contribution to a global issue, and will help us to dramatically decrease our energy consumption — bringing us one step closer to becoming a carbon neutral venue in the not so distant future," SWG3 Managing Director Andrew Fleming Brown said in a company statement.
Based on previous annual attendance figures, SWG3 estimates that the project could save 70 tonnes of carbon emissions per year, the statement said. This week, the club also announced its pledge to go Net Zero and to become carbon neutral by 2025 or sooner. According to its city council, Glasgow has city-wide aims of reaching Net Zero by 2030.
SWG3 hopes to "lead by example" to show other venues across the world to decarbonize. In its Net Zero pledge announcement, the venue offers to share its insights with all others looking to make similar sustainability shifts.
"We want to keep dancing, keep working, keep creating, keep inspiring ― but we also want to do this in a responsible, innovative way," the pledge said. "We know this won't be easy, but we know we have to try — and we're mad up for the challenge."
Tiffany Duong is a writer, explorer and motivational speaker. She holds degrees from UCLA and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. As a contributing reporter at EcoWatch, she gives voice to what's happening in the natural world. Her mission is to inspire meaningful action and lasting change. Follow her on Twitter/Instagram @tiffmakeswaves.
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To raise awareness about the hardships they experience, but also the amazing resilience they are capable of, an international team of collaborators has come together to make an award-winning animated short film called Footsteps on the Wind, which tells the story of a brother and sister forced to embark on a journey far from home.
"We are trying to raise a lot of awareness about climate change and about the home that we live in and how it can be shaken up and torn apart," director Maya Sanbar told EcoWatch.
An International Journey
Footsteps on the Wind tells the story of sister and brother Noor and Josef who lose their parents in a violent earthquake.
"The earthquake is a metaphor for anything that shakes your life up, so it could be a war, it could be anything," Sanbar said.
They are then swept away when the sea rushes in and takes them on a harrowing journey to a new home.
Completing the film was a border-crossing journey in its own right.
Sanbar first had the idea for the film three to four years ago when she heard Sting's song "Inshallah," which was inspired by the plight of refugees displaced by the Syrian civil war.
"I'd been wanting to make a film about refugees for quite a while, because I have a family history linked to that theme, and I wanted to do something that was original, not what you see on the evening news," Sanbar, whose father was pushed from his home in Palestine in 1948, told EcoWatch.
She asked Sting if he would donate the song as inspiration for a film, and he agreed, but it took until the coronavirus lockdown for the project to come together.
The completion of the film itself was an "international labor of love" between Sanbar and producer Kristin Olafsdottir in the UK; co-directors Gustavo Leal and Faga Melo, screenwriter Pedro Paulo de Andrade, and producer Ito Andery in Brazil; and producer Gillian Gordon in the U.S.
Sanbar said working on the film during lockdown could be frustrating sometimes because the team had to design and approve the film's animation without being able to stand in the same room together. However, she also said there was a lesson in how the team was able to complete the project virtually, crossing borders without spending money or burning greenhouse gas emissions on flights.
The film's creation, therefore, mirrors its themes. Sanbar emphasized the metaphor of the wind, which can travel anywhere.
"It's about how do we address our problems across borders, how do we address it as a human race and our relationship with the planet, our relationship with each other," Sanbar said.
Refugee Voices
The film comes as there is growing awareness about the relationship between the climate crisis and displacement. A recent study from the World Bank warned that as many as 216 million people could be forced to leave their homes because of climate change by 2050.
The climate crisis has already been linked to some notable causes of forced migration in recent years. Drought in Central America's dry corridor is one of the factors pushing people to leave Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador and seek asylum in the U.S. Climate-change driven drought has also been suggested as one cause of Syria's civil war, according to JSTOR Daily. Overall, 23.1 million people have been displaced directly by extreme weather events every year for the past decade, according to the World Meteorological Organization, though most of these people did not cross an international border.
In this context, Sanbar hopes the film will encourage people to open their hearts to refugees, to perhaps volunteer to house a family or bring a meal to a refugee center. But she also hopes the film can be a comfort to refugees themselves.
"It's not just a film, it's a tool that we'll use for therapy for traumatized kids and adults and to be able to talk about their story but through the characters of the film," she said.
To that end, the team worked to make the characters and landscapes in the film representative of different races and all five continents, so they would be easy to identify with. They also worked to incorporate the perspectives and voices of refugees. Sanbar conducts workshops with refugee children through organizations like Young Roots and O's Refugee Aid Team. In one instance, she brought lots of pompoms and sparkles to work with 16 to 17 year old boys. She expected they wouldn't be interested, and was surprised when they "went full on with the color and the pompoms and the sparkles."
Film director Maya Sanbar holds a workshop with refugee children.
This experience influenced the visual language of the film.
"We decided to make it very beautiful and colorful because even though it's a dark story, it's about the interior color, and the color that we live within our own selves and the world around us," she said.
Refugee children in Calais and their friends also literally lent their voices to the film, recording the word, "Inshallah" over the end credits.
So far, the film's artistry and message seems to be resonating. It premiered at Cinequest Film Festival in March, where it won Best Animated Short Film and qualified for the 2022 Oscars. It has gone on to win several more awards since then.
"It's pushing people to action, to take care of our planet, to take care of our seas, to take care of our plastics... because anything can shake up our lives at any moment," Sanbar said.
Footsteps on the Wind is currently still running the festival circuit. You can watch it this weekend at the San Diego International Film Festival. To track its progress, you can follow the film itself, Maya Sanbar and her production company Chasing the Light Studio on Instagram- 10 Million Climate Refugees in Past Six Months: Red Cross Calls for ... ›
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1. Greener Candy
No one wants to be the dreaded house on the trick-or-treat route that hands out fruit or raisins, but luckily, there are plenty of delicious, sugary favors that are also environmentally conscious.
Most gummy candies contain gelatin, which is not vegetarian (or vegan). It's made from boiling animal by-products like bones and ligaments, and can be replaced by vegan alternatives, like agar agar. Search the grocery store aisles for animal- and gelatin-free gummy candies like Annie's Bunny Fruit Snacks, Swedish Fish, Dots, and Sour Patch Kids.
Many popular candy products contain synthetic preservatives, GMOs, palm oil, and other environmentally-harmful ingredients. Look instead for candy from reputable companies with sustainable practices, with the Fair Trade Certified and USDA Organic labels. A few environmentally-friendly candy options include:
- Alter Eco Truffles
- Clif Kids Fruit Ropes, Bars, or Brownies
- Equal Exchange Chocolate Bites
- Endangered Species Chocolate Bites
- Glee Gum
- Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
- YumEarth Snack Packs and Lollipops
If buying eco-friendly candy is a little too pricey, choose treats with better packaging, if possible. Plastic packaging accounts for 30% of all solid waste generated in the U.S. every year, which includes all of those miniature candy bags and lollipop wrappers. Look for traditional candy with the least packaging or cardboard packaging, like Nerds, Milk Dudes, Junior Mints, and other candies that come in small boxes – or, opt for candies wrapped in foil, which can be recycled. Mints and other candies that come in tins, like Altoids, also entail less plastic waste.
If your grocery store stocks loose, individually-wrapped candies, scoop those into a reusable grocery bag instead of choosing a bulk bag of them off the shelf.
2. Try Other Treats
ALLEKO / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Candy doesn't have to be the only thing handed out on Halloween!
If you're a plant parent, tiny propagated plants – like pothos, aloe, or other plants easy to repot cuttings from – potted in recyclables (pasta sauce jars, parmesan cheese containers, milk cartons, etc.) also make great, exciting favors for kids.
Another waste-free option is making your own candy, cookies, or treats to package in paper bags and hand out to trick-or-treaters. Try this homemade rock candy, or your household's favorite cookie recipe. Be sure to include a label on homemade treats with a full list of ingredients so parents know what's in it. If you go the homemade route, note that not all parents will be comfortable with unwrapped treats for their children, so it might be a better option for those who live in a small neighborhood and know the folks coming through on trick-or-treat night.
3. Pick Your Own Pumpkins and Don't Toss the Guts
While festive, pumpkins are a significant source of waste around the fall holidays – especially when they're transported long distances to make it to your front stoop. Instead of buying supermarket pumpkins, which were probably grown far away, plan a time to visit a local pumpkin patch to pick your own. If you're short on time, many farms sell pumpkins at farmers markets or right out front on site, so you don't even have to traipse around the field to find the perfect one.
1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins are thrown out each year after Halloween, as estimated by the U.S. Department of Energy. Make sure your holiday pumpkin isn't included in the 40% of our national food supply that gets wasted every year.
Use the guts of the pumpkin – or, the whole pumpkin, as long as it hasn't started to visibly decay after carving – to make puree for recipes, like this pumpkin bread from NYT cooking, pumpkin pancakes, or a creamy pumpkin soup. Separate the seeds and toast them with oil and herbs for a party treat, snack, or topping for salads and fall soup.
Compost jack-o-lanterns after the holiday season, either in your own compost bin, or research facilities nearby that can take it. You can also bury them directly in your garden to compost and provide nutrients for next year's flowers. Or, break them into pieces and leave outdoors for furry friends to feast on (if they haven't helped themselves already).
4. Crafty Costumes
Jodie Griggs / The Image Bank / Getty Images
When brainstorming your perfect Halloween costume, consider characters that don't require buying pieces that'll just get tossed or donated after the holiday. Try to put a costume together with items from your wardrobe, and make props or accessories from recycled materials, like cat ears out of a headband and painted cardboard, or bat wings from a broken umbrella. Ask around to see if any friends, family, or roommates might have what you need before buying it new. It might be best to choose a costume that doesn't require wildly-specific pieces, unless you're able to borrow or buy it used.
If you find yourself still in need of accessories or staple clothing items for your costume, check out thrift stores or other second-hand avenues, like Facebook marketplace. Some used clothing stores – like Buffalo Exchange, for one – have costume sections already set up for you to browse. Otherwise, look into costume rental services nearby that can lend you a full, elaborate costume without the environmental cost.
Also, if your costume requires glitter – which is essentially a microplastic itself – make sure to use plastic-free, compostable glitter.
5. Waste-Free Decorations
Instead of loading your cart with heavily-packaged, heavily-plasticized Halloween decorations, get crafty and make your own.
Repurposed materials can be transformed into spooky, festive decorations; use cardboard boxes for tombstones, paper bags for lanterns, wine bottles for candle-holders, and yarn for spiderwebs. Better yet, bring the outside in with hay, pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, pinecones, acorns, or a homemade wreaths of leaves to make your home festive. These eco-friendly decorations can be composted along with your other yard scraps at the end of the season.
Keep old decorations so they can be reused every year – besides the organic stuff, of course.
6. Party Sustainably
jin chu ferrer / Moment / Getty Images
If you're playing the part of Halloween-party-host this year, consider ways to make your celebration more sustainable.
Consider using TerraCycle to dispose of the wrappers from candy eaten at the party. This recycling company can recycle practically anything, and sells boxes that can be filled with waste and sent back, or you can utilize one of their drop-off locations. Have guests toss their wrappers in a bin that you can deal with later; or, buy unwrapped candy in bulk, and serve in a bowl with a ladle, so guests can scoop it out themselves and circumvent the waste entirely.
Instead of disposables, use normal dishware, silverware, napkins, and cups to wash after the guests leave; or, choose biodegradable alternatives if you have an avenue to compost them. It doesn't do much good to send compostable dishware to landfills, which are airtight and don't allow for them to aerobically break down, so send them to a commercial composting facility, if possible. Some compostable dishware can be placed in your own compost bin at home, but many require a commercial composting facility to break down. Look into the specifics for the product you buy.
Make your own snack trays, desserts, and mains for the party, instead of buying packaged, pre-made platters and meals at the grocery store. Better yet, make the event a potluck, and ask each guest to bring an item they've prepared so you don't have to do all the work.
Linnea graduated from Skidmore College in 2019 with a Bachelor's degree in English and Environmental Studies, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York. Along with her most recent position at Hunger Free America, she has interned with the Sierra Club in Washington, DC., Saratoga Living Magazine, and Philadelphia's NPR Member Station, WHYY.
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Florida has shown a dedicated investment in solar energy in recent years, leading it to become the third most popular state in the country for solar installations. Because of this, a number of new companies have popped up across the state, leaving it difficult for consumers to narrow the best solar companies in Florida.
In this article, we'll introduce you to the top 10 Florida solar installers so you can make the best decision for your home's clean energy needs.
Our Picks for Top Florida Solar Companies
- SunPower
- Sunpro Solar
- Solar Source
- SunVena
- Goldin Solar
- Solar Bear
- Blue Raven Solar
- Solar-Ray
- Unicity Solar
- May Electric Solar
For many Florida homeowners, the decision to go with one provider over another comes down to solar panel costs. Interested in seeing how much you would pay to install a solar system on your roof? Fill out the form below to get a free, no-obligation quote from a top Florida solar installer that services your area.
Comparing Top Florida Installers
Florida is the perfect example of bigger solar companies not always being better.
Industry giants like SunPower and Sunpro Solar may top our list, but a large number of local providers in Florida have decades of experience tailored to the climate of the state. Some customers with older roofs may prefer to work with technicians experienced in preventing rain or wind damage, for example. Whether you're looking for a nationally recognized top solar company or a family-owned installer, pay special attention to each provider's customer service and warranties, which are of particular importance in Florida.
SunPower
SunPower has been an industry leader since 1985, designing all-in-one residential and commercial solutions backed by personalized customer service and the industry's most comprehensive warranty. Over 35 years of professional solar experience makes SunPower one of the most trusted solar installers available in Florida. Offering both an online design studio and virtual consultations, SunPower has an industry-leading process that provides customers with reliable installations of custom-designed solar energy and backup solar battery systems.
Sunpro Solar
Sunpro Solar is another national solar provider with an excellent track record in Florida. Sunpro has a proven history and reputation for providing attentive service, long-lasting warranties and comprehensive solar solutions. We recommend Sunpro if you're looking for top-notch customer care throughout the entire lifespan of your solar panels.
Solar Source
The first installer on our list that operates solely within Florida, Solar Source is a favorite solar company of local roofers, builders and homeowners. A commitment to top-quality products, exceptional service and reliable support has earned the company many positive reviews from customers. In a region frequently hit by tropical storms and severe weather, this solar installer offers 37 years of expertise you can trust to install your system securely.
SunVena
SunVena is another one of the most local Florida solar installers. SunVena's goal is to deliver an exceptional solar experience without any lengthy, confusing sales pitches. An educational, friendly and simple process is essential in making customers feel comfortable in making a sizable investment; SunVena's stellar customer reviews prove the company has this down pat.
Goldin Solar
Goldin Solar is a young company that has made a quick impact. Since 2014, its installations have generated over 65 million kWh of energy, helped homeowners save over $8 million in electric bills and offset over 100 million tons of emissions. With $0-down financing options, comprehensive energy storage solutions and exceptional customer reviews, we expect Goldin Solar to quickly rise in the ranks of the best solar companies in Florida.
Solar Bear
This family business has grown from serving just the Orlando and Tampa Bay areas to the entire state. Solar Bear evolved from home energy contracting into renewable energy services, now offering solar PV, storage, solar thermal and even geothermal heat pumps in Florida. The most reviewed solar provider in the state, customers can trust Solar Bear's transparency in its business practices. For customers looking to support local, family-owned businesses without sacrificing quality, Solar Bear may be the option for you.
Blue Raven Solar
Recently purchased by industry titan SunPower for its promising growth, Blue Raven Solar still operates in Florida, along with 16 other states. The company offers innovative financing models structured with $0-down and flexible payment methods, making it an exceptional choice for customers interested in solar financing and a low solar panel payback period.
Solar-Ray
Solar-Ray is a local solar installer committed to superior customer service and providing the best PV equipment available at the lowest price possible. A preferred solar service provider of Duke Energy, Orange County Public Schools, Orlando Utility Commission and the University of Central Florida, Solar-Ray has 14 years of local knowledge and experience to ensure Floridians secure the maximum value from their solar investment.
Unicity Solar
Unicity Solar's focus on providing customers with simple, affordable solar panel systems has made it a leader in Florida's renewable energy space. Unicity's strengths come in providing some of the best solar panels in the industry and guaranteeing 25 years of no-cost warranty protection for all products and installations. The Unicity Guarantee makes the company an ideal choice for Florida residents primarily concerned about the longevity of their solar power system.
May Electric Solar
Our final best Florida solar installer is May Electric, which is local to Central Florida. Founded in 2004, May Electric has grown into a full-service solar installer rooted in values of quality workmanship and solar industry expertise. Offering comprehensive warranties, product assurance and high-quality customer relations, May Electric has yet to receive a review below a five-star rating on its Better Business Bureau profile.
How We Chose the Best Solar Companies in Florida
There are a number of factors that differentiate the quality and benefits offered by different solar providers. These are some of the considerations we used to evaluate the best Florida solar companies.
Services Offered
Different solar companies may provide varying services. We understand that every customer has unique energy needs, so we tend to favor companies that offer a breadth of services and product options. Before speaking to a company, consider add-ons you may be interested in like backup solar batteries, panel monitoring services, home energy efficiency packages and electric vehicle chargers.
Installation Process
We checked out each company's solar installation process, but when doing your own due diligence and meeting with consultants from various solar companies, we recommend asking questions such as: What kind of customizations can you expect? Does the provider hire subcontractors or install with in-house technicians? How often will you be updated on the status of permits and other paperwork? These answers can further inform you on how knowledgeable the company is.
Coverage Areas
Florida is one of the most popular states for solar panels, so there are a lot of regional providers to choose from. You can narrow down your search by looking for the best solar installer near you. If you live in Miami, it doesn't do you much good to research a solar company that's active only in Jacksonville. The companies discussed in this article have wide service ranges, so you're more likely to find one that fits your needs.
Pricing and Financing
The initial cost of solar panel installation can be significant. Some solar companies are certainly more affordable than others, and you can also ask about solar financing options that are available through your installer. Some companies on our list, like Blue Raven Solar and Goldin Solar, focus their businesses on catering to customers who prioritize flexible financing.
Industry Affiliations
To guarantee that the renewable energy provider you select is reputable and has both the integrity and the expertise you require, we've assessed each company's status in the industry. The simplest way to do this is to check to see whether the company has North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) technicians or belongs to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) or other industry groups.
Types of Panels
To make sure you have a wide variety of options to choose from, our researchers looked into the types of panels and products our top Florida solar companies offer. If you're interested in learning more, during your consultation, don't hesitate to inquire about a company's tech portfolio and see if it is certified to install leading brands like Tesla, Enphase or Panasonic.
Rebates and Tax Credits
Most top solar providers give guidance navigating different savings opportunities you're eligible for. The reputable solar providers on this list offer assistance in applying for the federal solar tax credit and local incentives.
Warranty
Going solar is a big investment, but a warranty can help you trust that your system will work for decades. A lot of solar providers provide a 25-year warranty on their technology and workmanship, but you'll definitely want to ask about this on the front end.
Cost of Solar in Florida
We found the current cost of solar in Florida to be about $2.53 per watt. This means that, after the federal tax credit is applied, a 5-kW system would cost around $9,361 and a 10-kW system would cost around $18,722.
Floridians can also use the following incentives and solar tax exemptions to reduce costs:
| Florida Solar Incentive | Florida Solar Incentive Overview |
|---|---|
| Net Metering | Net energy metering (NEM) credits solar panel owners for any excess electricity fed back to the energy grid. In Florida, Duke Energy and Florida Power & Light offer the best net metering programs. |
|
Solar Sales Tax Exemption |
Florida offers exemptions from the 6% sales tax when you purchase a solar energy system. |
|
Solar Property Tax Exemption |
Installing solar panels increases your property's value, but tax exemptions in Florida allow customers to avoid paying local property taxes on that added value. |
|
Florida PACE Loan Program |
With the PACE program, loans are available to fund the cost of solar in certain areas, sometimes in full. |
How to Find the Best Solar Installer in Florida
Given the high number of solar panel companies operating in Florida, it can be difficult to find one that stands out for your needs. This is why we advise readers to get quotes from several competing companies. Not only can you see the benefits each offers in its proposals, but you can secure the most competitive price available in the crowded Florida market.
To start getting free, no-obligation quotes from the best solar companies in Florida, fill out the 30-second form below.
Karsten Neumeister is a writer and renewable energy specialist with a background in writing and the humanities. Before joining EcoWatch, Karsten worked in the energy sector of New Orleans, focusing on renewable energy policy and technology. A lover of music and the outdoors, Karsten might be found rock climbing, canoeing or writing songs when away from the workplace.