Solar Car Wash

Located at 2434 San Pablo Ave, between Dwight and Channing Way, the Solar Car Wash offers drivers an environmentally friendly way to keep their cars clean quickly and efficiently. The challenge was to design a long, low, wash tunnel that could contain the maximum capacity of the state-of-the-art equipment, in a compact package that allows for vehicle circulation, and vacuum bays, and still provide room for landscaping. A large window wall on the street-facing façade provides a view into the wash operation.

We designed the solar photovoltaic array to be a primary architectural feature: A custom steel superstructure overhangs the roof and supports 180 solar panels, which produce 82,000 kW at peak, powering the wash equipment, dryers, vacuums, and lighting. We were glad to have Sun Light & Power on the team who implemented the solar engineering, installation, and commissioning -  a successful collaboration showcasing renewable energy. 

The wash equipment requires minimal water, which drains into a 130’ concrete trench, and empties into a series of underground tanks that act, along with a state-of-the-art filtration system, to clean the water such that it can be responsibly routed to the sewer, and be reused in the continuous wash cycle. To minimize water use further, the resulting greywater is also used for irrigation of ornamental plants, as well as fruit trees. The site design complies with C.3 Stormwater Requirements, directing rainwater to a deep bioretention planter, which filters the runoff onsite.

The ambitious environmental goals could be achieved due to a committed owner and a great team that included Verdant Structural Engineers, and Oliver & Company as the general contractor.