Qualcomm, Inc.  San Diego, CA

Qualcomm, Inc., a leader in digital wireless communications and a Fortune 500 company, installed 417 kilowatts of solar energy to provide power for two of the its buildings (Buildings “Q” and “W”) at its corporate campus in San Diego, California. The solar systems are projected to have a combined monthly output of 42, 745 kilowatt-hours.

As part of its efforts to address global warming, Qualcomm has incorporated green building design into its new construction, and has pursued LEED Gold certification for Building W. By installing a photovoltaic system, Qualcomm advances its efforts to be an environmentally responsible US corporation.

The 417 kW installation at Qualcomm’s San Diego headquarters was unique, because it was a combination of new construction and retrofits to existing structures. We installed solar modules on carports and flat roofs. The rooftop arrays were installed using SunLink racking as result of the customer wanting minimal roof penetrations.

Qualcomm leases over four million square feet of office space in the San Diego area, and since the 1990s, has endeavored to save energy across their holdings while protecting the environment. To realize its goals, Qualcomm has been exploring and implementing numerous strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while continuing to grow its business.

Making it one of Qualcomm’s greenest buildings, Building W’s solar power installation will support all lighting requirements for the building, parking lot and the co-generation plant. The carport, with nearly 700 solar modules on the roof, does double duty by providing shaded parking for employees while generating clean renewable electricity.