Exelon City Solar Administration Building Recognized With LEED Certification

CHICAGO, Dec. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Administration Building at Exelon City Solar, the nation's largest urban solar power plant, has been recognized with Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. 

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111209/PH19533 )

Located on the northern edge of the City Solar site, the building is used as office and conference space and contains displays that educate visitors about the power plant and Exelon 2020, which is Exelon's industry-leading plan to reduce, offset or displace the company's carbon footprint by more than 15 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year by 2020. Several features, including natural lighting for more than 95% of the interior space, a rooftop garden that can be used to observe the 41-acre solar field and the use of nearly 25% of construction materials that contain recycled content, have allowed the building to receive Silver New Construction LEED-certification.

"We're truly proud of what we've accomplished with the construction of Exelon City Solar," said Sonny Garg, president of Exelon Power.  "The LEED-certification of the Administration Building takes the commitment we've made with City Solar one step further."

Exelon City Solar, a 10-megawatt solar power plant, is located on a brownfield in the West Pullman neighborhood of Chicago.  Its 32,292 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels generate enough clean, reliable electricity to power up to 1,500 homes per year.  Since the site was completed in 2010, it has hosted tours for local students, community groups and industry organizations to educate them about solar energy. 

Exelon Solar is a division of Exelon Power, which owns and operates Exelon's renewable, hydroelectric and fossil power plants.  Exelon Power's Visitor Center at Conowingo Dam in Darlington, Md. and Renewable Energy Education Center in Fairless Hills, Pa. are also LEED-certified. 

Exelon Corporation is one of the nation's largest electric utilities with more than $18 billion in annual revenues. The company has one of the industry's largest portfolios of electricity generation capacity, with a nationwide reach and strong positions in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Exelon distributes electricity to approximately 5.4 million customers in northern Illinois and southeastern Pennsylvania and natural gas to approximately 490,000 customers in the Philadelphia area. Exelon is headquartered in Chicago and trades on the NYSE under the ticker EXC.

SOURCE Exelon Generation Company, LLC