The Town of Davidson is putting its sustainability goals on the rooftops of public buildings. For its solar installations at municipal facilities, the town is a winner of the 2026 Region of Excellence Connected Communities Award, which recognizes initiatives that maximize local transportation, mobility investments and energy efficiency.
From Plan to Panels
Davidson’s Climate Action Plan, adopted in 2024, calls for powering municipal operations from renewable sources where possible. After studying rooftop solar feasibility on most town buildings, Davidson set about bringing the most promising projects to life.
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In 2025, the town installed 286 photovoltaic modules on the roof of its Town Hall and Community Center at 251 South Street. The 33,500-square-foot building is a historic school built in 1948, adapted for town offices and community rooms. The system is expected to cover 40 to 50 percent of the building’s electricity each year.
Efficiency First
Solar is only part of the story. Davidson also tracks building energy use through a performance-tracking platform and uses that data to fine-tune heating and cooling systems. Less energy used means more of the building’s demand is offset by the sun.
Resilience at Fire Station 2
Davidson is now installing a second rooftop system at Fire Station 2. This one includes a battery to store excess energy, which should improve the building’s resilience in an emergency by taking some load off its generator. Once operational, the system is expected to offset about 50 percent of the station’s annual electricity use.
Partnership and Leadership
The town partnered with Renu Solar and Duke Energy on the projects. They build on Davidson’s long record of sustainability work, including smart growth planning, walkability and bikeability improvements, and tree canopy protection.
Congratulations to the Town of Davidson. Learn more about the Region of Excellence Awards.
Nominated by Betsy Shores, Town of Davidson.
