Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center the Beneficiary of Major New SunPower Solar Rooftop

(3BL Media) San Francisco, CA - May 25, 2011 - Today was the official unveiling of the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center’s (Tel-Hi) new SunPower rooftop solar installation which will ensure the center -- which serves the broader San Francisco community – will be more energy efficient for years to come.

Initial funding for the project came from a Climatepalooza benefit concert presented by One Atmosphere and headlined by the alternative rock band CAKE. Critical gap funding was provided via a SunPower EcoAd grant through EcoMedia, a subsidiary of CBS. Installation, engineering and logistics were all donated by Luminalt, a family- owned, San Francisco based solar installation firm. The City’s GoSolarSF program and other sponsors provided additional funding, and well over a hundred volunteers donated their time to assist with the installation.

The environmental improvements made to Tel-Hi include:

       • The installation of a 28 kilowatts AC SunPower solar rooftop system- installed by more than 100 volunteers

       • The opportunity to educate children on the benefits of solar power through an interpretive greenhouse

       • The reducing of Tel-Hi’s carbon footprint and energy savings reducing the center’s consumption by more than 85 percent

On hand to make the announcement today were President & Founder, CBS EcoMedia Inc., Paul Polizzotto, Jan Soderstrom, Vice President, Brand Management of SunPowerCorp, Phil Ting, Assessor-Recorder, City of San Francisco, Nester Fernandez, Executive Director, Tel-Hi Neighborhood Center, Paul Scott, Executive Director, One Atmosphere, Jeanine and Noel Cotter, co-founders Luminalt, David Assmann, Deputy Director, Cityof San Francisco, Department of Environment, CBS 5 President and General Manager Ron Longinotti, CBS Radio SF Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Doug Harvill, John McCrae and Paulo Bauldi, CAKE.

“The solar installation on the Tel-Hi Community Center is proof of the seismic shift we’re creating in advertising,” said Paul Polizzotto, Founder and President of EcoMedia. “With the EcoAd advertisements, we’re raising the bar; we want consumers to expect and demand that the commercials they watch, listen to, and read will do something to improve their communities. At EcoMedia, we’re proud and grateful to partner with SunPower, One Atmosphere, and Luminalt. Our success at Tel-Hi is an inspiring example of what happens when we bring stakeholders together to make the seemingly impossible, possible. Ours is a mission rooted in action; that’s authentic green media.”

“The solar installation at the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center represents a wonderful example of the City of San Francisco, artists, businesses, and members of the community all pulling together to improve our environment while also benefiting an important San Francisco institution,” said Mayor Ed Lee.

One Atmosphere conceived of and coordinated the project. “It took a very diverse group of people for us to bring solar to the community at Tel-Hi – artists, businesses, environmentalists, government workers, and well over a hundred community volunteers. Without all of their help, it would never have been possible. We are grateful to all of them for making it happen” said Paul Scott, Executive Director, One Atmosphere.

Part of the funding of the renovations were a result of SunPower purchasing EcoAd advertisements through EcoMedia. EcoAd advertisements provide advertisers with the option of purchasing media that will deliver added value beyond traditional advertising. With the purchase of every EcoAd package, a portion of the dollars spent goes directly toward funding environmental and clean energy projects, all of which have been identified by local municipalities and public entities as being critical, yet under- funded. EcoAd advertising packages are available across CBS platforms, including network, local television, radio, outdoor and online.

“SunPower is pleased to help the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center save thousands of dollars in energy costs while educating center visitors on the attributes of solar, said Jan Soderstrom, SunPower Vice President, Brand Management. “While our solar panels are installed at residential, commercial and power plant installations around the globe, we’re especially proud of this project right here in our own back yard.”

“Over half of Luminalt's solar installers are GoSolarSF certified employees hired through community based organizations,” said Jeanine Cotter, co-founder and President of Luminalt. “At Tel-Hi, Luminalt installers worked with volunteers to build the system. It was wonderfully satisfying for all of us at Luminalt to give back in such a tangible way. Luminalt is honored to have participated from the beginning and is grateful to Paul Scott, Executive Director of One Atmosphere, and Nestor Fernandez, Executive Director of Tel-Hi, and the other Tel-Hi Board members for their vision and tenacity to make this solar installation a reality. Hundreds of individuals and several key organizations showed their commitment to community by working together to make this happen”

About Tel Hi
Tel-Hi serves children, families, seniors, and the broader community through our programs, services, and community activities. 

Primarily our programs serve people living in the North Beach, Chinatown, Russian Hill, and Telegraph Hill neighborhoods, but most of our services are open to all regardless of where they live. Through a combination of free and low-cost programs, we offer services that benefit and attract people from diverse backgrounds. Over our many years of service, Tel-Hi has established and nurtured a strong network of relationships with community schools, nonprofits, businesses, and residents. Numerous families send multiple generations of their children through our programs, and our engagement with a single child sometimes lasts for 10 years or longer. Please visit www.tel-hi.org for more information.

About One Atmosphere
One Atmosphere is a registered 501(c) (3) environmental nonprofit dedicated to combating climate change and preserving our environment for generations to come. One Atmosphere accomplishes its mission through environmental projects designed to bring people together, have fun, and make a difference. Please visit www.oneatmosphere.org for more information.

About SunPower
Founded in 1985, SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB) designs, manufactures and delivers the planet's most powerful solar technology broadly available today. Residential, business, government and utility customers rely on the company's experience and proven results to provide maximum return on investment. With headquarters in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Please visit www.sunpowercorp.com

About EcoMedia
EcoMedia is the newest addition to the CBS Corporation portfolio, providing a green value-add for advertisers across television, radio, interactive, publishing and outdoor. Through the groundbreaking EcoAd program, EcoMedia offers advertisers the unique ability to make tangible improvements to communities and the environment while also connecting more effectively with their consumers. This unique business model provides advertisers with the only truly sustainable option for their media purchasing. Each EcoAd devotes a portion of the media buy to fund environmental projects in communities across the United States. 

Since 2002, EcoMedia has been building public-private partnerships that direct advertising revenues to support initiatives that protect the environment. EcoMedia's projects include diverting pollution from the oceans, safeguarding endangered fishing habitats, providing harbor and watershed protection, promoting recycling and ridesharing, conserving energy and water, planting trees and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

CBS first partnered with EcoMedia in 2008 to support projects in Long Beach, Calif. and Miami, Fla. Through this partnership, EcoMedia and CBS enabled an energy efficiency retrofit and solar power installation for Miami City Hall, completed a green makeover for public schools in San Francisco, Miami and Cook County, Ill., and installed solar panels at California's Long Beach airport. Hundreds of similar projects have been identified in communities across the country that will be completed through EcoMedia's EcoAd program.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each EcoAd goes to projects we believe will benefit the environment. EcoAd is not a certification program, nor is the EcoAd logo a seal of approval. EcoMedia does not in any way certify, endorse or make any representations about EcoAd advertisers, their products or services. Please visit www.ecoad.cbs.com for more information.

About Luminalt
Luminalt is San Francisco's premier solar installer. Since its founding in 2004, Luminalt has installed more solar in San Francisco than any other company. Certified by San Francisco's Human Rights Commission as a Local Business Enterprise, Luminalt is a certified GoSolarSF installer. Dedicated to quality solar installations designed and installed by our local workforce, Luminalt is committed to solar in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and is a clear and different choice from big box solar. Please visit www.luminalt.com for more information

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Akilah Bolden-Monifa, CBS 5 (KPIX-TV) and CBS Radio SF, amonifa@cbs.com 415-760-0688

Paul Scott, One Atmosphere, paul@oneatmosphere.org, 415-225-4482

Sarah Douglis, EcoMedia, Sarah.Douglis@ecomediacbs.com, 212 975 1938

Madeleine Maguire, SunPower, mmaguire@sunpowercorp.com, 510/439-4721

Jennifer O’Brien, Director of Communications, One Atmosphere, olaiaau@sbcglobal.net, 415 516-1915

Jeanine Cotter, Luminalt, jeanine@luminalt.com, 415 740-8082