Solar Power Projects
Eco Joe’s Splash-n-Go Car Wash
Bozeman
The Billion Auto Group in collaboration with Tidal Wave Car Wash and Harvey’s Plumbing & Heating recently completed construction of a new car wash named “Eco Joe’s Splash-n-Go.” Located near the intersection of Cottonwood and Huffine Roads, this new operation is the most ecologically friendly and technically advanced car wash in the Bozeman area, and arguably, the entire Northwest!
It all began about a year ago with the far-sighted vision of one of Bozeman’s leading businessmen, Joe Billion. Joe wanted a car wash that would serve the community as well as assist with detailing his dealership’s inventory. Joe’s concern for the environment and research on new and emerging technologies, lead him to understand that energy- efficient technologies would reduce both carbon and his operational costs. With these thoughts in mind, Joe developed a relationship with Steve Hanson of Tidal Wave Car Washes and Tyler Merica of Harvey’s Plumbing & Heating. This combination of forces enabled a system design that more than meets the goals Joe Billion desired.
The new car wash incorporates:
- High-Efficiency Condensing and Modulating Boilers. This type of boilers warms the building and melts snow and ice around the car washes. Their unique controls and sensors evaluate variations in indoor and outdoor temperatures thus enabling high-efficiency (low fuel-burn) performance. Over 4 miles of buried thermal pex tubing enables the system to effectively warm the structure.
- Reclaim Water (Recycle) System. This system captures up to 85% of the wash water in a reservoir, refreshes and purifies it for future car washes. The reclaimed, bacteria free water is like new.
- Solar Hot Water System. This system captures the suns energy to produce hot water. It heats and stores a sizable volume of water, ready on demand for car washing, and further refreshes it’s heated water throughout the day. The process insures a constant outlet temperature of 120 deg. (F) and will supply up to 75% of the hot water needs of the Car Wash.
- High R-Value Insulated Piping. All piping is insulated to reduce heat loss from the source to the outlet. This unique component further insures energy is saved.
- Balenger Car Washing Equipment. The automatic and self washing equipment is state-of-the-art. This equipment, manufactured by Balenger, is also high-efficiency in its design and operation. With sophisticated controls coupled to the high-efficiency equipment; energy-efficient performance is further enhanced.
Joe Billion has long appreciated the natural beauties in his home state of Montana. In November of 2009, Joe saw his vision of an Ecologically Friendly Car Wash become a reality. Joe is very proud and pleased with the results of these investments. He expects that his payback time will be shorter than expected because of increasing energy costs in the future. Joe feels good about reducing carbon emissions and doing his part to preserve the environment.
Eco Joe’s Splash-n-Go is intended to show others that successful business ventures can run, and make sense, in conjunction with sound environmental policies.
(Reprinted with permission from Harvey’s Plumbing & Heating)