Architect's Home with Solar Wins National Intelegant Award

Quick Facts

Location: Fresno, CA

System Size: 49.4 kW

Products Installed: SunPower Equinox® system

When architect Dio S. designed his home in the Central Valley of California, he took inspiration from the skies. The home's modern design incorporates the graceful curves of an airplane and, fittingly, it's powered by the sun.

Designing home solar for any client comes with challenges. But when the client is also the architect of the home, expectations are even higher. Dio's home was more than a decade in the making, intentionally designed to create a living experience like no other. With a new baby in the family, the home is an especially welcome refuge these days.

Perched on a bluff, the home blends organically with the environment, making solar energy a natural addition. The sizable-yet-unobtrusive SunPower Equinox® solar energy system on the roof of the garage produces enough clean energy to run the home on a daily basis, virtually eliminating their electricity bill. The system was installed in two phases. The first 12.4 kW before the home was even finished, and the second phase, a whopping 37.0 kW, was completed a few months ago to optimize energy production.

To implement the second phase, Dio reached out to his trusted solar advisor at SunPower by Air Sun, who helped build his original system and understood his desires for aesthetics and longevity. After carefully considering the size of the system and the final design, Dio chose SunPower's 370-watt module, with industry-leading 22-percent efficiency.

The new array blends seamlessly with his existing system and complements the home's stunning architecture. The solution helped keep this statement home center stage, while delivering substantially more savings.

Working with the team at Air Sun was just as seamless. "As a contractor myself, typically when I meet a subcontractor, I tell them how meticulous I am," says Dio. "I didn't really have to go through that with Air Sun. They installed 100 panels in four days, and the execution was flawless. I'm completely impressed."

For their efforts, SunPower by Air Sun has been recognized with the national SunPower Intelegant Award, recognizing exceptionally well-designed and installed solar projects.

"I'm proud of a lot of things in our home," says Dio. "Every room you walk into is a different experience. I'm thankful that we were able to build our home, live in it and enjoy it, and know that we're saving energy too."

Air Sun Solar Installation