Forever 21 lights up headquarters with rooftop solar panels

Los Angeles - Forever 21 has powered up a 5.1-megawatt (DC), high-efficiency SunPower solar power system at its corporate headquarters in Los Angeles. PermaCity Solar designed and installed the system.



PermaCity premiered its SolarStrap racking product on Forever 21's roof. It has no penetrations that could cause roof leaks; and, since, it does not rely on bulky ballast, it does not stress the buildings' structural integrity. SolarStrap, was literally baked into the new TPO roofing allowing 15,512 SunPower modules to become part of the solar roof.



PermaCity designed and installed the system for Forever 21 with the help of West Hills Construction, using SunPower solar panels which deliver up to 36% more electricity than conventional solar panels. It is the first project at one location to utilize both of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP's) local solar programs: the FiT100 Set Pricing Program, and the Solar Incentive Program.



"We are thrilled to be a leader in the adoption of clean energy and proud to say that we have built the largest solar rooftop in Los Angeles," said Don Chang, founder and CEO of Forever 21. "As an L.A.-based company, we wanted to contribute to the city's goal of increasing clean renewable energy and becoming a more green economy."



Now completed, the system will generate enough energy to power approximately 1,450 homes. According to estimates, it will avoid the annual production of almost 13 million pounds of carbon dioxide; equal to the emissions created by burning six million pounds of coal, or the equivalent of taking 1,200 passenger cars off the roads.