The North Face Partners with National Outdoor Leadership School to Provide Solar Installation at Pacific Northwest Campus
Alameda, Calif., Sept. 18, 2013 /3BL Media/-- The North Face, the world's premier supplier of authentic, innovative and technically advanced outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear, in partnership with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) today announced the completion of a 9.54 kilowatt solar-electric installation at the NOLS Pacific Northwest campus located south of Mt. Vernon, Wash. The new installation will provide 20 percent of the electricity needs for the campus and will serve as an education tool for NOLS students and the community, complete with an on-site solar data monitoring system that will provide live updates on energy production.
“NOLS has been a partner of The North Face and we are very aligned with their efforts to get more people outdoors,” said Adam Mott, senior manager of corporate sustainability at The North Face. “When they approached us with the opportunity to provide power at their Pacific Northwest campus through the BEF Solar 4R SchoolsTM program, we gladly signed on as a sponsor. This solar-electric installation will not only decrease their energy bill but will introduce students and staff to the positive effects of energy conservation and raise awareness about the impact of climate change.”
The North Face and NOLS worked closely with BEF on the project through its Solar 4R SchoolsTM program, which connects local funding partners with schools interested in solar-electric systems, education materials and teacher training to educate students, teachers and community members about renewable energy. The solar-electric system was installed by Whidbey Sun & Wind and features 42 SolarWorld 230 watt PV roof-mounted modules.
"NOLS Pacific Northwest is very grateful to The North Face, BEF and Whidbey Sun & Wind for their support and collaboration on this project,” said Chris Agnew, director of NOLS Pacific Northwest. “Through their support in sustainable and energy-saving technology we invest in the future of our students and the preservation of our glacial classrooms.”
There is a touch-screen interactive kiosk available at the NOLS Pacific Northwest facility located at 20950 Bulson Road, Mt. Vernon, Wash., 98274.
About The North Face
The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc., was founded in 1968. Headquartered in Alameda, Calif., the company offers the most technically advanced products in the market to accomplished climbers, mountaineers, snowsport athletes, endurance athletes, and explorers. The company’s products are sold in specialty mountaineering, backpacking, running, and snowsport retailers, premium-sporting goods retailers and major outdoor specialty retail chains.
About National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)
Founded in 1965 by legendary mountaineer Paul Petzoldt, NOLS is the leader in wilderness education, providing awe-inspiring, transformative experiences to more than 15,000 students each year. These students, ages 14 to 70, learn in the wildest and most remote classrooms worldwide—from the Amazon rain forest, to rugged peaks in the Himalaya, to Alaskan glaciers and Arctic tundra. Graduates are active leaders with lifelong environmental ethics and outdoor skills. NOLS also offers customized courses through NOLS Professional Training, and the NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute is the leading teacher of wilderness medicine worldwide. For more information, call (800) 710-NOLS (6657) or visit www.nols.edu.
About Whidbey Sun & Wind
Whidbey Sun & Wind, established in 2000, is one of the most experienced renewable energy companies in the Pacific Northwest, providing a broad range of renewable energy system solutions to its neighbors in the northern Puget Sound region. Renewable energy is its only business, and as such the company is able to provide the best solutions and support for its customers.
About Solar 4R SchoolsTM
BEF’s nationally renowned Solar 4R SchoolsTM program is igniting a new generation of clean energy leaders with the insight and innovative thinking necessary to solve the nation’s most pressing energy challenges. To get there, the program transforms solar technology into a complete STEM classroom learning experience. With the help of corporate, nonprofit and utility funding partners, BEF’s vision is to integrate engaging renewable energy education into every science classroom in the nation. Learn more at Solar4RSchools.org.
