Milford, NH One of New Hampshire’s largest solar-powered auto dealerships plans to open its new facility this fall at the northeast intersection of Rtes. 101 and 13. Contemporary Automotive’s 25,000 s/f dealership on Hammond Rd. incorporates several environmentally-friendly design features, notably a 135-kilowatt solar array installed this fall by New England-based
ReVision Energy. Electricity generated by sunshine offsets the majority of the dealership’s electric load and serves as a powerful tool to lock in energy costs, saving the dealership upwards of $400,000 over the life of the system. 

Energy-efficient design elements also include indoor and outdoor LED lighting and a tight building envelope. Outside the dealership, stormwater runoff is managed by four, large bioretention gardens, minimizing the impact of impervious surfaces. Landscaping with plants, trees and grasses native to New Hampshire were intentionally chosen as they require less watering. 

Inside the facility, large, destratification ceiling fans in the showroom, a service drive-thru and repair shop circulate air flow more efficiently and optimize the building’s HVAC system. The Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram FIAT service center collects and repurposes used motor oil. Two Reznor waste oil boilers, each with a capacity of 500,000 BTUH, generate approximately 70% of the building’s heating needs, distributed with comfortable, radiant floor heating.

The dealership was designed in conjunction with Sandford Surveying & Engineering of Bedford and Warrenstreet Architects of Concord. Site work and construction were managed by Turnstone Corporation of Milford.