Neighbor News
PRESS CONFERENCE: Local officials to celebrate Earth Day at major solar installation!
Recently installed & "flipping the switch" this Friday, St. Pete based millwork fabrication facility can now run on net-zero power.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MESH Fabrication is completing a 100 Kilowatt solar installation on its 30,000 square-foot millwork fabrication facility. The panels will provide net-zero energy consumption during most months.
This Friday – Earth Day – public officials will tour the facility, which now includes a $300,000 solar panel array, as well as another $100,000 of upgrades: an energy-efficient reflective white coating on the roof, improved insulation, and large energy-efficient air-cooling fans.
"These are American manufacturing jobs powered by the sun," said Mesh Fabrication CEO, Gary Grooms, “This matters to us – we want to reduce our impact on the environment."
WHAT: 100 Kilowatt, net-zero solar installation completion at a major manufacturing facility
WHERE: 2900 44th Avenue North, St. Petersburg
WHEN: 1:00pm – Friday, April 22 – Earth Day
WHO (attendees to include):
State Representative Dwight Dudley
St. Pete City Councilmember Darden J. Rice
Environment FL Director Jennifer Rubiello
Representatives from Florida Suncoast Sierra Club
Pinellas County Principal Planner Rachel Booth
Mesh Fabrication leaders
Gestalt Furniture leaders
Solar Energy Management CEO Scott McIntyre
The event is open to the public.
The solar installation and other enhancements are in large part related to a soon-to-be launched artisan furniture brand that will be manufactured at the facility – Gestalt Furniture. Grooms along with partners Jovica Milic and Scott Gebicke will release further details about the multifunctional, modular, sustainable furniture line in coming months.
Along with sun-powered energy independence, Mesh Fabrication and Gestalt Furniture practice sustainability in other areas, including repurposing used materials. Currently the manufacturing facility is reusing reclaimed wood from barns. The wood is rid of metal, dried in a kiln and then milled for new uses. The team is also re-purposing a large set of aged wooden bleachers.
