Co-Sponsor
This workshop is sponsored by Meridian Energy Systems and Texas Solar Energy Society.

Classroom Location:
Center for Environmental Research (CER)
Austin Water Utility at Hornsby Bend
2210 South FM 973
Austin, TX 78725

For a map of the area, click here

The Center for Environmental Research (CER) is known for its incredible birding, with March being a great time to observe migrating landbirds returning from the tropics and waterfowl. In fact, they have a bird blind, complete with a PV system. In addition, the Center is the recycling facility for all of Austin’s sewage and produces biogas. CER also has a PV system that an SEI workshop installed a few years ago.
 
In addition to the great classroom location, Austin is known for its live music, and we’ve scheduled the workshops so that students can take advantage of South by Southwest, which is one of the biggest festivals in the nation – as well as in the world.  SXSW offers the latest and the greatest in music, film and multi-media interactive worlds. For information on the lineup, prices and other information, visit the South by Southwest website.
 
For a list of other local attractions and events, as well as special deals, packages and overall great information about Austin, please visit the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau’s informative website.

Class Details:
Class will run from approximately 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (or 5:30 pm) Monday through Saturday. Please plan to arrive at the classroom no later than 8:45 on Monday so that the instructors can check you into the workshop. Lunch will be from approximately 12:00-1:00 pm each day, in addition to a short morning and afternoon break.
 
As part of the PV Design and Installation workshops, there will be a hands-on installation. The instructors will provide more details on the first day of the class, as well as directions to the jobsite. Our partnering installer is Meridian Energy Sytems, Texas’ leading installing of commercial and residential PV systems. The installation will be on Thursday and Friday, and Saturday will be a wrap-up day. (This may change depending on the weather.) In addition, there will be several tours of local PV systems during the workshop.

Transportation and Travel:

Closest Airports: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)— 4 miles from the classroom.
 
Rental Cars:  For a list of rental car agencies and directions from the airport, please click on the following links: Austin Rental Car Agencies and Directions

Bus Stations: There is a Greyhound Station at 916 E Koenig Lane in Austin, which is approximately 9 miles from the classroom.

Train Stations: There is also an Amtrak Station at 250 N Lamar Blvd in Austin which is approximately 9 miles from the classroom.

Nearby Lodging: There are lots of nearby hotel options because the classroom is so close to the airport. Please call them directly for more information on the cost and condition of the hotels. Make sure to mention that you will be there for several days in order to get extended stay discounts. Click here or a complete list of hotels in the area.

Food: There are plenty of restaurants, including a Mexican restaurant, a Subway, a cafe, a BBQ restaurant, etc., within two miles of the classroom for lunch. Click here for a list of Austin Restaurants in the immediate area.

Weather: The weather in Austin in March should be in the 70s during the day and then drop into the 50s at night. For a more detailed look at the weather, go to weather.com.

What to Bring:

Classroom: Please bring a pen and pencil and a notebook for notetaking and a calculator. You may want to bring black, red and green colored pencils for schematics.

Install: Since we will be doing an install at an actual jobsite, close-toed shoes with good tread are required. We recommend that you bring a hat, raingear, sunscreen and a water bottle, in addition to layers of work clothes to account for changing weather temperatures. We encourage you to bring your own tools, but it is not necessary. Tools could include: wire strippers, sidecutters, tape measure, screw driver, needle-nose pliers, pencil, utility knife, and a cordless drill. Please label tools with your name or some distinguishing mark ahead of time to ensure that you get your tools back at the end of class.