FEATURED PROJECT
High School Solar Installation – 1 MW Rooftop Project
High School | North Shore, Illinois
Electrical & Renewable Energy | 1.01 MW DC
Through detailed preconstruction planning and careful coordination, Althoff Industries delivered a large-scale renewable energy system within an active school environment—maintaining safety, protecting daily operations, and completing the installation on schedule.
installation in progress
Racking and material distribution views
electrical infrastructure
Conduit routing, inverters, and associated equipment.
completed installation
Project Overview
Althoff Industries completed a 1.01 MW rooftop solar installation at an active high school in Chicago’s North Shore community. The system spans multiple roof elevations, three to four stories above ground, and includes 1,734 solar panels and ten commercial inverters.
The project required extensive planning and coordination to safely transport, stage, and install substantial quantities of solar panels, racking, ballast, and electrical equipment while the school remained fully operational.
THE CHALLENGE
With students, faculty, and staff occupying the facility, maintaining a safe environment was the project’s highest priority. Crane lifts, material deliveries, rooftop staging, and controlled access had to be carefully coordinated to minimize disruption to school activities.
Althoff also needed to coordinate multiple union trades, maintain installation productivity, and meet an aggressive construction schedule across several roof elevations.
THE SOLUTION
Strategic preparations commenced well in advance of mobilization. Althoff Industries formulated an all-encompassing preconstruction blueprint focused on labor management, logistics, site access, hoisting protocols, asset protection, and safety oversight.
Utilizing a rigorous Work Breakdown Structure, our team gained clear visibility into specific tasks, timelines, and essential milestones. In partnership with the general contractor, we implemented a specialized Gantt chart to synchronize deliveries and construction phases with precision.
Through established work perimeters, engineered lift plans, and constant dialogue with campus administrators, we ensured the project advanced securely without hindering the school's daily educational activities.
Our comprehensive electrical work included:
-
Mounting 1,734 solar modules for a total 1.01 MW DC capacity
-
Integrating ten commercial-grade power inverters
-
Setting up a specialized ballasted roof mounting system
-
Managing full-scale AC and DC power distribution
-
Fitting all necessary conduit, cabling, grounding, and safety shut-offs
-
Seamlessly connecting to the building's main switchgear
-
Implementing advanced energy monitoring and metering tools
-
Managing all hoisting logistics, site distribution, and final system testing
THE RESULT
The installation was completed within the established project schedule with zero safety incidents. Althoff safely delivered approximately 1 MW of renewable generating capacity while the school remained occupied and fully operational.
The completed project demonstrates Althoff’s ability to manage complex renewable-energy installations through detailed preconstruction planning, disciplined project management, skilled union labor, and an uncompromising commitment to jobsite safety.