Hillsboro, OR - November 7, 2011 - You may have seen bike messengers delivering pizza and flowers, but how about solar panels the size of a sheet of plywood? That’s just what you’ll see on Monday, Nov. 14, when a few of SolarWorld’s panels are delivered by bicycle from the SolarWorld factory warehouse to Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center, now under construction in Hillsboro, Ore. The 102-kilowatt solar system of 468 panels will be installed on the parking garage next to the hospital.

Hillsboro Mayor Jerry Willey will join SolarWorld President Gordon Brinser and Andrew McCulloch, president of Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan of the Northwest, on the three-mile bike ride. Also joining in will be upward of 50 representatives from both companies, plus employees from Andersen Construction, the hospital’s general contractor. The cyclists will follow a large-load bike trailer carrying the panels.

Event Agenda

Date: November 14

Time: 9 a.m. start at SolarWorld, 25300 NW Evergreen Road, Hillsboro, with an approximately 9:30 a.m. finish at Kaiser Permanente’s Sunset Medical Office, 19400 NW Evergreen Parkway, next to Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center.

Followed by: Short remarks by Andrew McCulloch, Gordon Brinser, and Mayor Jerry Willey, plus light refreshments.

“We’re proud of all the sustainable design features of the new hospital, which will be the first LEED Gold certified health care facility in the Portland area,” McCulloch said. “We’ve made this a local project whenever possible, and using an industry-leading supplier like SolarWorld, located just down the street, was the obvious choice.”

Brinser describes the event as a way to highlight the commitment to renewable energy, sustainability, and local sourcing shared by SolarWorld, Kaiser Permanente, and the city of Hillsboro. “Buying locally makes sense economically and environmentally. And whether your customer is three miles away or 3,000 miles across the country, buying from U.S. manufacturers keeps jobs in America.”

The city of Hillsboro has been a leader in sustainable design, with several LEED Gold buildings of its own. It currently is promoting the adoption of renewable energy in the city.

When Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center opens in 2013, it will be the first hospital built in the metro area in nearly 40 years. From its sustainable design to its award-winning electronic medical records system, the facility represents the future of health care.

About Kaiser Permanente Northwest
Kaiser Permanente Northwest is part of America’s leading integrated health care organization. Founded in 1945, the organization serves the health needs of more than 8.8 million people in nine states and the District of Columbia. More than 479,000 people in Oregon and Southwest Washington receive their health care from Kaiser Permanente. A nonprofit health plan, Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. For more information, go to: www.kp.org/newscenter.

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