The Carson City Federal Building in Carson City, Nevada, recently installed solar panels over their parking lot to power their offices. This system can generate up to 259 kilowatts of power, which is almost enough to run all of the buildings electrical systems on its own. This saves them a significant amount of money on monthly expenses. The only problem? Birds.

Solar panel support tracks can make the perfect environment for bird nesting. This can cause damage to the panels. To mitigate the problem, GSA’s Northern Nevada Property Manager Dean Mansfield requested a solution from DL O&M in Reno to keep the birds off of the panels.

With the help of wildlife control specialists, Carson Creature Captured, several options were considered. Netting would cause a maintenance nightmare, and spikes would not work. Eventually, they selected a system called Bird-Shock Flex-Track from Bird Barrier America. This system uses a 12-volt solar charged burst that alarms but does not harm the birds. It is supported by the Humane Society of the United States, and teaches birds to stay off the solar support tracks. Problem solved.

The cost of material and labor to install the bird-shock flex track is about $15 per linear foot. If you’re having bird troubles with your solar panels, we know what to do. Experienced facilities management is a critical part of creating and sustaining green building practices and certifications.

We’d be delighted to talk to you about your sustainable building needs.