Summit Pointe will feature 3 Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT) on the North side of the roof (See Building Design for precise location), enabling the turbines to catch the West-East wind currents. The VAWT turbines combined will account for almost 11,000 kWh of power every year, operating in relatively low wind environments. These turbines will both generate clean energy for Summit Pointe whilst bolstering the local economy.

Unlike Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines, VAWTs operate by cupping the wind from any direction and spinning along a vertical axis, making them far more convenient for areas of low wind such as Ann Arbor. Additionally, the cupping action pushes wind from one turbine into the next, compounding the maximum energy output. The typical 6ft by 10ft VAWT is rated for 10 kWh/day, thus providing around 30 kWh for the commercial property per day. Additionally, the vertical axis greatly reduces the noise associated with HAWTs, thus making the energy source virtually silent for residents. VAWT manufacturers quote noise levels for these turbines at a maximum of 32dB, the equivalent of a quiet whisper.

Summit Pointe will partner with Arborwind, an Ann Arbor-based VAWT producer that specialized in creating VAWT products for developers and commercial use. This partnership will both create an environmentally friendly development, aiding Ann Arbor in becoming a net-carbon zero city, along with aiding local businesses fiscally.

Learn more about Arborwind here

Rather than utilizing Polycrystalline solar panels, Summit Pointe will be developed with an array of Monocrystalline solar panels on the roof. While these panels come at a higher cost than their higher counterpart, they are far more efficient, especially in the cold temperatures that Ann Arbor experiences. These panels have a much higher efficiency than their counterpart and have a slower degradation rate, thus ensuring that the building will remain energy efficient for an extended period.

While many may make the claim that these monocrystalline panels will not be functional during the cold winter's of Ann Arbor, this is not actually the case. Due to the functionality of energy generation within these panels, created when the sun creates a large differential in kinetic energy within the electrons within the panel, cold weather actually acts as the best catalyst for energy creation. When the weather is cold, the electrons within the panel are at rest, so solar energy charging these cells causes a massive change in energy potential that can be captured. This will allow for Summit Pointe to generate clean energy on a year round basis.