In the United States, buildings account for nearly half of all energy expenditures – including a full three-quarters of electricity usage. Given that statistic, it is no wonder why a large and increasing number of eco-conscious home and business owners are beginning to research the merits of retrofitting their buildings with energy efficiency improvements.

Among other resources at their disposal, they can look to the example of Rick Murphy and Murphy Automotive, Inc.

For over a decade, Rick Murphy has played an instrumental role in the continued success and growth of the family business founded by his father, Tim, in 1976. Rick currently serves as Manager of Grandview Tire & Auto and Marketing Director for the other branches of the five-store Murphy Automotive chain.

Over the years, he has helped implement several improvement projects of varying type and scale. The most recent and ambitious of those ventures sets an exciting precedent for the Minnesota business community and for the auto repair industry at large.

Last spring, Murphy Automotive became the first business in the state to take advantage of Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) legislation to finance an energy efficiency upgrade – a new, 27-kilowatt solar panel system on the roof of the Grandview Tire & Auto location on West 70th Street.

PACE financing allows property owners to invest in upgrades without bearing up front the full brunt of the steep installation costs. The owner repays that capital in increments as “special assessments” paid alongside property taxes.

“Solar panels piqued my interest a few years ago, but at the time it wasn't cost effective. No break-even point was possible for us. It raised questions about how it was becoming so popular in California, Arizona and other states,” Murphy said.

Many of the California success stories were the result of PACE partnerships. When Minnesota passed a bill allowing for PACE financing in 2010, Edina was the first city to jump on board. When the City Council approved the Edina Emerald Energy Program (EEEP) in November 2011, Murphy was, in turn, equally eager to take advantage.

Even before the installation, the auto repair facility was one of the most environmentally conscious in Minnesota. Prominent among its other features are oil boilers that use drained auto oil to provide 100 percent of the building’s heat. “This heating system, plus a white PCV roof and some insulation improvements, equate to enough natural gas savings to heat nearly 10 average Edina homes,” Murphy said.

The new Grandview Tire & Auto solar array is the first commercial PACE project to be completed outside of California. The end result is proving well worth the extra effort of securing the special financing. “The solar system boasts enough electricity to power about three average Edina homes,” Murphy said.

While Murphy credits much of the success to the mutually beneficial partnership between “the City, Blue Horizon Energy, the Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association,” he himself deserves much of the credit. The groundbreaking achievement would not have been possible without Rick Murphy’s insights and guidance. He is truly a Hometown Hero.