Sun rises on Suffolk County solar project

Construction has started on the Suffolk Solar Carport projects in Hauppauge at the H. Lee Dennison Building and at the Brentwood Long Island Rail Road station.

"Suffolk County was proud to be the first municipality to lease its property for a clean, renewable energy public-private partnership of this scale," Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy said in a written statement.The solar power generated by the entire project is expected to offset 14,300 metric tons of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent of 2,734 cars, according to Levy.California-based enXco is installing the solar carports as part of a shift to large as well as small solar projects on Long Island.The solar carport project in total is slated to generate up to 17 megawatts of renewable power for the electric grid, enough to power nearly 1,800 homes.Work already started on car ports at the rail road station's property in Brentwood, also owned by Suffolk County.The Hauppauge project, where work just began, is slated to produce up to 2 megawatts of solar power for the Long Island Power Authority from an array of 6,700 solar panels installed on carports in the north and south parking lots.

The solar power generated by the entire project is expected to offset 14,300 metric tons of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent of 2,734 cars, according to Levy.

Author: Claude Solnik

Protecting Your Investment with a Custom RV Garage

An RV typically constitutes a major financial investment - why not protect that investment with an RV garage? People who own recreational vehicles are keenly aware that its size precludes parking inside a home's standard garage.

When you buy a custom designed RV garage, it can be built exactly to your specifications as well as to match the design of your home. A custom RV garage can be built as one large room or it can have sections for additional vehicles, large boats, or even excess equipment. You can also use these side rooms as guest rooms, workshops, or office space. A second option is to obtain a set of RV garage plans so a contractor can build it for you. Garages that are custom built out of materials that are durable and of high quality will last for quite a few years.Whichever type of RV garage you purchase, make sure to first measure your RV to ensure proper fit in its new garage. Your garage needs to have doors that are at least 12 feet tall. Recreational vehicles with devices on the roof such as air conditioners, luggage racks, or satellite dishes may require 14 foot garage doors. When measuring the depth of your vehicle, make sure you also figure in the space required to walk around the front and back of the vehicle while it is parked inside the garage.A home does not come standard with a RV garage. However, there is an easy solution to this common RV parking problem. Prefabricated garages can be assembled by you, or you can have a custom garage for your RV built by a professional.Carport-like prefabricated RV canopies keep snow, rain, and harsh sunlight off the RV's roof. While custom garages are typically complete, many prefabricated garages lack wall structures, and so provide only partial protection from the elements. An RV garage that has walls protects your RV from theft and vandalism as well. Burglar alarms mounted in the RV garage can provide further protection from vandals and thieves.

Whichever type of RV garage you purchase, make sure to first measure your RV to ensure proper fit in its new garage. Your garage needs to have doors that are at least 12 feet tall. Recreational vehicles with devices on the roof such as air conditioners, luggage racks, or satellite dishes may require 14 foot garage doors. When measuring the depth of your vehicle, make sure you also figure in the space required to walk around the front and back of the vehicle while it is parked inside the garage.

Author: Rochelle Steelsen

Avoid Being A Victim Of Crime When Parking Your Car

In our fast paced modern living we probably don�t give the practice of parking our cars as much thought as we should. We need to practice some common sense when we park our cars, as we do in other areas of our behavior. Below is a description of some crimes associated with parking cars and some recommendations to follow.

Grouped car parking areas should be avoided in high-crime areas. If they cannot be avoided, they should be within view of some dwellings; they should be equipped with sturdy gates and should never be sited near alleyways.Where private garages are not feasible, carport or driveway parking is preferable to grouped parking away from dwellings.Originally selling between $523,000 and $1,137,065, six of the units will sell absolute on auction day, with no minimums and no reserves.In high-crime areas, advanced technological surveillance methods may be needed in car parking areas. For example, an infrared unit is available which detects the presence of intruders � but not cats and dogs � by body heat, and automatically switches on all lights in the car parking area and turns them off after 15 to 20 minutes has passed.Embedded Video AvailableVisitors� car park areas should be well lit, clearly identifiable, and visible from dwellings. If it is desirable to limit access to dwellings, make sure access via car parking sites is monitored as well.Rape, Assault, Robbery:As a general rule, underground or multi-story car parks should be avoided, as they are breeding grounds for vandalism and crime. If they already exist, limiting entry points and providing them with sturdy locked gates could minimize danger. Alternatively, each resident could be provided with a lockable garage in their own space, with robust vandal proof metal doors � garages within garages, so to speak. Or users can be provided with a secure lock or a plastic keycard, which operates electronic doors or gates.The units come with either a two-bedroom, two-bathroom floor plan or a three-bedroom, three-bathroom plan, and each condo includes a designated garage or carport. With frontage on the 30-mile long Flathead Lake, mixed with the broad recreation in all four seasons, the Waterside Condos provide a great opportunity for an outdoor enthusiast to own a home on one of the country's most scenic lakesides.Independent Energy Solutions, Inc. 1090 Joshua Way, Vista, CA 92081 Tel: (760) 752-9706 Fax: (760) 752-9758Contact: Caley King Newberry Cell: 256.295.3629Make safety and self defense your first priority today. Take the time to go over these guidelines with all your family and set a good example. Remember that ideas and intentions are well in good but nothing gets done unless you take action. Don�t hesitate. Do it.

Make safety and self defense your first priority today. Take the time to go over these guidelines with all your family and set a good example. Remember that ideas and intentions are well in good but nothing gets done unless you take action. Don�t hesitate. Do it.

Author: Bill Wallmuller

Twelve Waterfront Condos at Waterside Condominium to Sell at Auction, at Least Six Absolute

On August 13, 12 condominiums with frontage on Flathead Lake in Lakeside, Mont., will be offered at a real estate auction . The units are a part of the beautiful community at the Waterside Condominium, where at least six of the luxury units will sell absolute through J. P. King Auction Company.

Keep in Touch: Twitter Facebook Craig King's blogImage Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=1678181 Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=1678173 Embedded Video Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=1678177Car parking sites should be no further than 60 meters from dwellings, and the path should be well lit and free from shrubbery.Each unit has easy access to the resort dock and boat slips as well as the other outdoor amenities the community provides. Waterside Condominium has 500 feet of frontage on Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the West.There are very few areas of our existence that cannot be made safer just by applying some common sense and following precautionary guidelines.To make car parking sites safer, planners should provide direct access from parking areas to the entrance of dwellings.Property tours of the condos will be available through auction day; an auction representative will be available daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The auction will take place on Saturday, August 13 at 11 a.m. under a tent next to Docks Restaurant and Lakeside Marina. The location's address is 7135 US Highway 93 S in Lakeside. For additional information, individuals may contact J. P. King at 800.558.5464 or visit the company's website at www.jpking.com .According to IES Vice President of Business Development, George Gisel, "This project was uniquely challenging due to the advanced logistics and coordination required for construction at an active Air Ground Combat Center. IES was chosen by GKK Works in large part because of our extensive military project experience and ability to deliver systems on-time and on-budget."J. P. King Auction Company specializes in high-value properties and portfolios such as luxury homes, developments, condominiums and land and ranches. The company has marketed properties in all 50 states and six countries with recent sales in Virginia, Montana, Tennessee, Alabama, Colorado and West Virginia.Open car parking areas should be small and within view of dwellings. Visitors� car parking areas should be clearly identifiable, well lit, and also visible from dwellings.

Contact: Caley King Newberry Cell: 256.295.3629

Independent Energy Solutions "Powers Up" New US Marine Corps Solar Project in 29 Palms

VISTA, Calif., July 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Independent Energy Solutions, Inc. (IES), a leading solar energy development and construction firm, today announced completion and "powering-up" of a 213 kW (dc) solar electric (photovoltaic) carport / shade structure installation at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in 29 Palms, California. The large-scale system is capable of generating about 312,000 kilowatt-hours of clean, green electricity annually while providing shade and cover for parked cars.

Founded in 1998, Independent Energy Solutions is a certified women-owned business and a leading provider of renewable energy and solar electric (photovoltaic) systems. IES provides design, build, procurement and maintenance services to a broad spectrum of clients throughout the commercial, military, public agencies, nonprofit and education markets. For more information about IES, please visit http://www.indenergysolutions.com or call (760) 752-9706.SOURCE Independent Energy SolutionsBuilt to capture and emulate the natural beauty of the surrounding region, the condos exude rustic comfort and understated elegance, providing an ideal escape filled with high-end features such as slate and wood floors, granite countertops and designer lighting. While some units will sell fully furnished, a small number of units have not been completed, giving the buyer the opportunity to choose the details of the home.Designed and built by IES for the US Navy and GKK Works, the project consists of 868 Solarworld solar modules, two PV Powered inverters and an integrated mounting system for an existing carport structure. It produces the equivalent electricity to power 28 average single-family homes and will offset about 405,000 pounds of greenhouse gases annually - the environmental equivalent of taking 52 cars off the road.

SOURCE Independent Energy Solutions

Benefits Of Extending Your Veranda Along The Length Of Your Property

If you are considering having a verandah added to your home, it is well worth thinking about how big it is going to be before you make your final decision. After all, if you stay quite small you might regret it when it comes to sitting outside and not being able to squeeze the whole family underneath it!

This isn't an exact science, and of course appearance and other factors matter. Increasing that net, though, is the surest way to get more for your rental properties. Make the changes at least several months before you try to sell the property (a year before, if possible). Also, learn how do the math - it really does matter with real estate rentals.Only in Baltimore!* The total vacancy rate dropped to 14.7 percent from 15.5 percent in the third quarter of 2010Raising rents is the obvious way to boost income, if you can justify it. See what similar units are renting for. If your units are $60 below the going rate, you can raise the rents and not lose your renters. Increasing the rent $60 for three apartments means $2160 more net income annually. With a .08 cap rate, you just added $27,000 to the value of your property.The station house will cost $2.8 million -- with $1.8 of that coming from federal stimulus funds. It is expected to open next spring and will be constructed on land donated from the Anne Arundel County Board of Education. The structure will have three drive- through bays for the housing of fire and emergency response equipment, a bunkhouse and administrative offices, kitchen facilities, as well as meeting space and a small social gathering hall for use by the neighborhood community. Both volunteer and career firefighters will be stationed there.It is certainly important to sketch out some ideas on how the extended veranda would work best for you. Some people even extend it round the side of their house, but this does obviously depend on how much room you have to do so. If you have a side door it can be a real benefit though.*****Grand opening is set for Aug. 5. After that, look for Haute Dogs on wheels as Raffel said he is planning to go mobile with a food truck.

So think carefully before you decide on what you want. The extra time you take will be worth it.

Author: Rebecca Jane

Real Estate Rentals - Sell For More

Selling real estate rentals isn't like selling houses. You can paint a house, and get a little more because it looks nice. Rental properties, especially larger ones, are different, because they're bought by investors, who look at income more than new paint. Raise the income, and you increase value to investors.

The new fire station replaces the facility at 100 Summit Avenue that opened in 1943.Key findings include:The Haute Dog stand may be a victim of its own success. Raffel said he received a zoning notice from Baltimore County officials this week seeking tweaks to the operation. An Aug. 21 deadline was given to make fixes to comply with the huckster's license he holds.* The Baltimore office market showed signs of growth in the first half of 2011Higher rent isn't the only way to get more income. Storage sheds can be rented to tenants or you could put in a coin-operated washer and dryer. With a larger income property, you could install pop machines.When a lot of people think about having a bigger veranda they think of extending it out into the garden. This is a viable choice but it does take up a lot of garden space and you might not be willing to give up such a big part of your lawn.The Baltimore office of Colliers International released a report this week that reflects what experts there say is a "rebound" in the Baltimore region's office properties market.

This isn't an exact science, and of course appearance and other factors matter. Increasing that net, though, is the surest way to get more for your rental properties. Make the changes at least several months before you try to sell the property (a year before, if possible). Also, learn how do the math - it really does matter with real estate rentals.

Author: Steve Gillman