Unprecedented Facility Breaks Ground Featuring Largest Solar Array in Washington State

Demonstrates Technologies for Long Term Energy Efficiency

Providing vital infrastructure and education to help support small farms, 21 Acres, a non-profit organization,  celebrates the recent ground breaking for an unprecedented, cutting-edge facility in western Washington. Demonstrating new technologies for energy and water conservation in commercial and residential buildings, the 21 Acres Center for Local Food and Sustainable Living will feature a year-round farmers market, community kitchen, publicly available classroom space and a 50 kW PV solar panel array. Phase 1 of the project− The 8,500 square foot East Wing of the Center−will be located in otherwise urban western King County and will be a community venue for education on farming, sustainable living, and energy and water saving systems.

Since 1999, 21 Acres has served the local community and individuals throughout the state of Washington who are learning about local food and farming. Numerous community groups have visited the site as volunteers and partners to create an active education program on what was once fallow farmland. The construction of the Center will add many jobs to the local community−25% of them green jobs−all at fair wages. Upon completion, the facility will serve as a venue for training the new green workforce of skilled, committed individuals working to strengthen the 21st Century economy.

The design process of the 21 Acres Center team has emphasized reducing long term operating costs over short term savings and systems that are built for a long term return on investment. These systems will provide sustained on-site energy production and high amounts of water re-use. A key goal in the process was to challenge conventional wisdom about buildings. The result is a building that uses less energy than Washington Energy Code requirements which will exceed the Platinum LEED standards for which the organization is seeking certification. The Center will be one of only four Platinum LEED projects in Washington State and 82 in the entire country.

Extensive research and analysis has gone into creating the Center, including a careful review of every step of the construction process to reduce landfill waste along with selection of building materials that will conserve resources. The 21 Acres Center solar components will include: a large photovoltaic (PV) solar panel array, a solar thermal water heating system and a solar educational display including data collection, monitoring and website setup. When both wings are completed the solar PV array will be the largest non-utility system in Washington. The 50 kW PV array will consist of 286 high efficiency solar panels and a power inverter. It will generate power for the building equal to 60,000 kilowatt hours annually, which will offset 38% of the facility’s annual electrical energy costs.

21 Acres is a collaborative community project that encourages development of a strong local economy. The programs that are now and will be conducted at the Center, will provide to individuals, students and future professionals new, unique opportunities for education and skills on farming and green building.

A capital investment in 21 Acres was recently announced supporting the construction and to launch the groundbreaking of The 21 Acres Center for Local Food & Sustainable Living.  HumanLinks, a Washington state private foundation, will provide financial support to build the basic structure for Phase 1, the East Wing, of the new Agricultural Center.  In launching the community portion of the capital campaign, 21 Acres needs to raise the remaining $1,700,000 to complete the East Wing.   Phase 2, the West Wing of the Agricultural Center will occur after Phase 1 is completed. With its mission supporting sustainable agriculture and providing educational resources to the community, this gesture of support allows 21 Acres to move forward into the next decade.

21 Acres is committed to making local, sustainably-grown food a cornerstone of salutary living and vibrant communities for future generations. An historic vote in 1979 for the Farmland Preservation Program in King County preserved thousands of acres of land for future farms. While rapid urbanization in what used to be rural valleys in the region was putting local farms at risk of disappearing forever, 21 Acres has restored some of that land to productive farmland and now supports a community farm and garden plots; growing food for families, markets, restaurants, schools and hunger relief. A Small Acreage Food Production Program began in 2009 along with youth Seed to Table farm camps.