New San Diego Ronald McDonald House Seeks Solar System

The new San Diego Ronald McDonald House, which opened its doors in June and was just recently judged the Overall Top Project in Southern California for 2009 by California Construction magazine, is asking its donors to fund the purchase and installation of a 109kW photovoltaic array to produce solar energy, which will result in approximately a 30% savings in power costs.

The House replaces an older 12-bedroom facility with a 65,000-sq-ft, 47-bedroom building constructed on top of a six-story parking structure located adjacent to the Rady Children’s Hospital.

Under the leadership of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego, the team responsible for making the new House a reality includes architect Joseph Wong Design Associates, project manager 4G Development and Consulting Inc., and construction manager Barnhart, Inc.

The team was committed to constructing the $12.8 million facility at cost. Thanks to their efforts and the participation of approximately 40 subcontractors, labor and materials valued at nearly $3 million were donated by the time the project was finished.

“Knowing we were working to improve the lives of families dealing with seriously ill children was a tremendously motivating experience for everyone involved,” says Barnhart president Eric Stenman.

One of the goals of the project was designing and constructing the building to conform to green standards and practices, making the structure as energy-efficient as possible. Using an environmentally sensitive building envelope design and high-efficiency lighting and mechanical systems, the project uses 17.5% less energy than a typical similar-sized building in California. 

“We are in the midst of a $17.6-million capital campaign to fund the building of the new house,” says Bill Lennartz, president and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego. “The decision to fund the solar panels was calculated as the best long-term decision for the House and for the community. While we still need to raise the money to pay for the system, we believe our donors will support a socially responsible project that minimizes its impact on the environment.”

The House currently draws its power from the local utility grid, but will realize the benefits of solar energy when the system is completed at the end of 2009.

The new House also features 47 private bedrooms and baths, a kitchen, dining room, laundry rooms, television and snack rooms, child and adolescent game rooms, a computer lab, beauty salon, school classroom, faith room, workout facility and executive office space. Exterior features include a play yard with sport courts, a serenity garden, an amphitheater and barbecue areas.

Since opening its doors in 1980, San Diego’s Ronald McDonald House has provided more than 120,000 nights of lodging for more than 12,000 families whose children face serious or life-threatening illnesses and are receiving treatment at area hospitals. The new facility will dramatically increase the ability of the organization to serve families’ needs.

The Barnhart team responsible for the construction project includes Brian Cahill, director of operations; Chuck McArthur, senior project manager, Dave Christensen, general superintendent; and Donnie Luster, Deborah Stepp, Shawn O’Neill, Pamela Taylor and Ed Way.