When Chapman University management team sought an opportunity for students to be exposed to solar at their school, they discovered CarrierClass Green Infrastructure, LLC and Sunbolt solar table charging stations. “We had areas on our campus that students enjoyed studying in, but we had difficulty running electrical for a functional workspace,” says MacKenzie Crigger, Manager of Sustainability. “We wanted easy access to electric as well as an attractive and functional workspace area for students.”
A combination of these factors, including limited outlets for use in charging electronic devices outside and a desire for more visible green initiatives, led their team to search the web, attend various trade shows, and speak with a variety of vendors to identify a solution. “Ultimately we chose Sunbolt for their attractive look, and because they have the best capacity for charging a high volume of devices. The overall quality of the tables was also important to us in the decision-making process, and we felt the quality was worth the price for the tables,” explains Ms. Crigger.
The Chapman University management team, including: Rick Turner (Assistant Vice President Facilities and Campus Construction), Kris Olsen (Vice President of Campus Planning), and Ken Murai (Director of Campus Design), worked together to ensure the table met key criteria and were able to secure a budget from the Facilities Department for the tables. According to Ms. Crigger, “the tables really provide a way to make solar more visible on campus. They are located in a garden area and really tie nicely into sustainability all together for the university. They combine both the functionality and style needed to make a space attractive for a student workspace.”
CarrierClass Green Infrastructure Solar Charging Table at Chapman University, Orange CA
“The process was pretty easy,” according to Ms. Crigger, who says “[she]’d work with CarrierClass Green Infrastructure again.” Mr. Jim Innes, CEO of CarrierClass Green Infrastructure comments, “Our company’s focus is on the customer’s needs and their ultimate satisfaction. We were thrilled to be able to support Chapman University in their quest for a premier green infrastructure solution.”
In the end, the University enabled solar to be more visible on campus and gave students a hands-on opportunity to experience it. Haley, a student found recently using the table at Chapman, comments that “having the table on campus is really cool and another interesting quirk to have at Chapman. I like that I can study outside without worrying about my laptop dying and that the table shades itself most of the afternoon.”
Ms. Crigger sums it up perfectly, “Students really like the tables. Many ask when they are getting more.”
“Students really like the tables. Many ask when they are getting more.”
– Mackenzie Crigger
