We’re proud of the intelligent, passionate, and hardworking people that make up the Bright Power team. Each month, you’ll get a chance to meet one of them, understand how they contribute to the organization, and what makes them excited to come to work every day.
Meet Carl Haywood, Director of On-Site Generation Construction.
What are some of the things you like most about working at Bright Power?
The engineers at Bright Power are some of the smartest engineers I’ve ever worked with. They are absolutely brilliant. Our solar projects are also very unique. I’ve worked on solar projects everywhere and nothing compares to what we do. Take a look at our pergola projects like Via Verde and The Apartments at Landing Road if you don’t believe me. I also enjoy mentoring and teaching some of the people that I work with. It is very rewarding to watch them grow.
What are some projects and accomplishments you’re most proud of?
Solving the logistical issues that solar projects face in NYC is challenging. It’s also rewarding when you find a way to safely do the installation, solve problems that come up along the way, and see the project closeout. People forget that with urban solar, there are a lot more things to think about than on big suburban warehouses or ground-mounted solar farms. The conditions are more severe on top of tall buildings. There are people not just on the construction crew, but also building occupants and pedestrians, that you need to keep safe during construction and after the installation is complete.
There are two recent projects that I’m proud of and had interesting challenges to solve. One 71 kW canopy pergola project in the Bronx required the steel that we mounted the solar panels on to be 20 feet above the roof deck. I ended up getting a platform scaffold built that was 110 feet by 80 feet to accommodate that installation. Another one has steel that hangs over the side of the building by about 2 feet. We used electric manlifts that had an extension to safely build it because the extension literally hung over the side of the building 17 floors up!
In addition to those urban solar projects, I also am proud to say that prior to Bright Power I built an 80 MW project over a 3.5 square mile site in New Church, Virginia! If you’re ever driving on Route 13 to Virginia Beach, you’ll probably see this installation.
What’s something people might not know about you and your role at Bright Power?
My day begins at 5 am. My phone starts ringing at 6 am.
I am fluent in Spanish.
I actually left Bright Power for about a year, but I came back in September. I missed those smart engineers and working on the unique installations that Bright Power is known for.
You just received a promotion—congratulations! Tell us about your new role and responsibilities.
My role is to make sure that we have a smooth transition from one phase to the next from the design stage all the way through close out. I review all of the drawings and make sure what we have on paper matches what is being installed. Most importantly, if anything goes wrong in the field, I’m there to fix it! I meet weekly with every Project Manager for each one of their projects to make sure things are on track and help them work through anything they need help with. I meet on-site with the General Contractors and engineers. I also streamline all of our processes so we can help more people reap the benefits of solar.
You have over thirty years of electrical construction experience. What brought you to the field? What do you like most about it?
My dad was a small General Contractor. I was always working with him in kitchens and bathrooms from when I was a teen. I always liked to build things and see the results of my work. In 1981, I took a test for the electrical union and am proud to say that I scored second in all of NYC! I then began my apprenticeship. I ended up retiring from the union in 2002 and became a Project Manager for a small electrical contractor in New Jersey. They began installing solar in 2004. I wanted to build things again, so I left the office and learned to build solar myself.
I have been building solar projects ever since. I started building residential solar projects and transitioned to commercial projects in 2007. I have worked in multiple states across the East Coast from Maine to Virginia, Toronto, and Puerto Rico. I was in Puerto Rico before and after Hurricane Maria for about ten months, and I’m grateful I could help make a difference in the recovery of the island by bringing renewable energy.
What I love most is being able to drive by a building where I did electrical work as an apprentice or see a solar installation I did. Being able to see my work never gets old.
What’s the one service offering we have that you think is the most beneficial to clients and why?
Solar feasibility, design, and turnkey installation! Whether it is a small or larger solar project, everyone can benefit from solar being on buildings. Our clients can reduce their carbon footprint and we all get to breathe a bit easier because of it.