Community-center dedication, cut ribbon honor member

Published Nov. 1, 2013
By Airman 1st Class Tara A. Williamson
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- The dedication of the Robert M. Moore Community Center and Trinity Solar ribbon cutting ceremony was held Oct. 24, 2013, at the recently renamed facility in the United Communities Garden Terrace housing area here.

Moore, a Mount Holly, N.J., native and Vietnam veteran, spent a majority of his childhood at Fort Dix, where his parents worked, before starting his 30-year career in the civil service under Air Force command.

"One individual along the road to acquiring approval for the solar installation here at United Communities was Robert Moore," said Matthew Haydinger, First Montgomery Group certified property manager. "In his position at the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Moore was intricately involved with real-property issues as they pertained to privatized military-housing projects."

"He willingly reached out to bases at locations around the world for the benefit of those who serve," said Jim Saxton, retired New Jersey congressman. "One of his colleagues recently told me that the term 'service before self' must have been coined to describe Bob Moore."

Moore was a proponent of the solar project and had a handle on rational issues with a real-world view and cost saving measures which helped his career in the military-housing environment. His dedication to the project was further realized in his work with the base in identifying under-utilized areas for the higher and better use of alternative energy.

"We considered installing panels on an unused field on our property here at the base; we proposed installing on the abated land fill on Dix; we even considered land adjacent to but off the base entirely," Haydinger said. "Though, each of these endeavors would prove unattainable for reasons of permitting, cost, red tape, etc., our team persevered."

United Communities and First Montgomery Group also researched and interviewed numerous companies before their choice was made.

"We encountered Trinity Solar with a well-established track record of installing roof mounted panels on residential homes all over New Jersey as well as industrial warehouses up and down the New Jersey Turnpike," Haydinger stated. "From the moment we met Trinity, its team members and principals alike, the difference from the 'solar cowboys' in the industry was evident. Their integrity was further realized during the eight-month construction and installation period wherein their honesty and commitment to safety was routinely experienced."

The four-year project utilizes solar panels as a way to reduce the joint base's annual energy expense and to support energy independence as a whole.

More than 55,000 panels have been installed on 1,500 of the 2,200 residences in the various United Community housing areas since construction began in January.

The solar installation will generate an estimated 13.7 million kilowatt hours of renewable electric power annually, which equals roughly one million gallons of gasoline or 22 million barrels of crude oil.

"As the largest solar installer in the Northeast, Trinity is proud of what this project stands for," said Tom Pollock, Trinity Solar chief executive officer. "We couldn't be more happy to design and install a system that provides military families on base with renewable electricity produced right here at home."