When Rich Foltz started Vox Communications, a wireless business, he loved putting new, more efficient technologies in the hands of his customers. Why not try the same with sustainable energy? he wondered.
So
Vox Energy Solutions was born, the first full-service renewable energy solution provider in Western Pennsylvania. Vox Energy is helping businesses and homeowners move beyond fossil fuels, taking them from custom design and installation to maintenance and management of renewable energy credits.
Foltz swears it is saving customers money while saving the planet.
Just four years old, Vox Energy has grown to 14 full-time and two part-timers. The firm takes credit for installing the first solar thermal system in a city
firehouse; it also placed solar panels on the roof of the Regional Enterprise Tower, effectively powering the entire 31st floor. Plans call for expansion and a possible office in Ohio, Foltz says.
In recognition of the company's growth and commitment to renewable technology in the region, the Pittsburgh Technology Council named it the winner of Green Technology at the 2010 Tech 50 Awards.
"The biggest problem with renewable energy is the general public is not educated on what it can do and how much it can save them," says Foltz. "These systems will last 25 to 30 years. The rate of return is upward of 12%. No where can you take your money, invest it and get 12% back. That to me is worthwhile."
We monitor all the systems we put in, he adds. People are bringing down their electric bills.
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Writer:
Deb SmitSource: Rich Foltz, Vox Energy Solutions