PG&E celebrates opening of new office

Tours given of Zero Net Energy display home

By Nicholas Filipas

Record Staff Writer 

Posted Mar. 28, 2016

STOCKTON — Pacific Gas and Electric Co. officials and more than 400 employees celebrated the opening of their new regional office, as well as tours of Zero Net Energy display home, showcasing advanced technology for the near future.

They were joined by state officials for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday morning at their new address, 3136 Boeing Way in Stockton.

The 138,000-square foot office space will feature solar panels that will provide 30 percent of the building’s power usage, electric vehicle charging stations and drought-tolerant landscaping.

Renovations, Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Laurie Giammona said, will support sustainability.

“This facility will educate our residential and business customers and most importantly our agricultural customers,” she said.

The office features a 1,500-square foot Zero Net Energy display home, now open to the public with the purpose of educating visitors on residential energy efficiency.

The display home showcases techniques for achieving ZNE homes which produce as much energy as they use over the course of a year through a combination of maximizing energy efficiency while generating onsite renewable energy.

PG&E officials said the display home will educate the public on the requirements to meet California’s ambitious goals for all new construction to be ZNE residential by 2020 and commercial by 2030.

“It’s doable right now; it’s not something of the future. It’s something we can all accomplish right now,” said Energy Training Center Supervisor Matt Baker.

Visitors are able to tour areas of the home including the foyer, kitchen, bathroom and garage using an iPad that syncs to the home in virtual reality.

Viewers can strap the iPad to the palms of their hands and, through the app, learn more about home energy efficiency and techniques for achieving zero net energy homes.

Businesses, construction professionals and classrooms interested in learning about energy efficiency are also able to use the Energy Training Center. Some of the features available in the class include hands-on training in lighting and windows, Baker said.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony also featured PG&E contributing $40,000 to Habitat for Humanity for San Joaquin County, part of their Solar Habitat program.

PG&E officials said it will fund rooftop solar panels on every new Habitat-built home across Northern and Central California.

“We’re celebrating our commitment to Stockton; our commitment to sustainability,” Central Valley Regional Director Nick Glero said.

The display house is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Energy Training Center class schedule is available at pge.com/energyclasses.

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