Pultruder Creative Pultrusions Inc (CPI), of Alum Bank, Pennsylvannia, worked with renewable energy specialist Flexera, of Harbeson, Delaware, and IMCO Reinforced Plastics Inc, Moorestown, New Jersey, on the project at the Go Fish Restaurant in Rehoboth, Delaware.
The pultruded structure houses photovoltaic panels used to generate electricity, which will offset the electrical demand of the restaurant.
For the solar panel support structure, Creative Pultrusions pultruded 6" x 6" x 3/8" SuperStructural wide flange beams and IMCO fabricated these into the truss sections. IMCO then shipped the beams to the jobsite for Flexera to install.
Creative Pultrusions' Pultex SuperStructural profiles were chosen for this project because of their high modulus of elasticity and inherent strength. The truss sections were designed to comply with all relevant local codes and live loads due to wind and snow. The composite beams are also lightweight and corrosion resistant.
Flexera chose the pultruded support as a means of supporting its solar grid system in order to withstand the corrosive coastal salt air found in the location and to provide a lightweight structure. This composite alternative to traditional galvanised steel provides a structure with approximately half the carbon footprint of galvanised steel and also reduces future maintenance costs.
