Russell Seifert, founder and chief executive officer of Creative Solar USA, is the first to admit that he's a tough sell. "I deal with engineers all the time, and I know that change can be hard when you have a set way of doing things," he conceded. "But when Sam Hilley, Roof Tech's regional sales manager, introduced me to E Mount Air ® in June 2016, I knew I had to break through any initial resistance and do what was best for my customers-and for my own bottom line."
 
Streamlined installation for a healthier bottom line.
In the seven months since discovering Roof Tech, Seifert has used RT E Mount Air on more than 100 projects, and he continues to be impressed with its ease of use. "It's so much simpler than railed systems," he said. "You have all the parts in boxes, load them into the back of your truck, and pre-assemble everything before going on the roof. Once you're up there, you don't have to spend time searching for rafters. You simply screw the hardware into the decking and it's done! We save time on engineering and installation, which really helps our bottom line. We also have far fewer issues with building inspectors."
 
RT Butyl seals the deal with a strong finish.
Seifert pointed out that Creative Solar USA has installed dozens of residential projects along the coast of South Carolina, where solar panels have to withstand heavy rains and wind gusts up to 120 miles per hour. When Hurricane Matthew blew through the area in fall 2016, Seifert was glad to have chosen RT E Mount Air for his customer's valuable beach properties. "That RT Butyl is really strong!" he said. "It's by far the most impressive adhesive I've ever used."
 
From a solid past track record, a promising year ahead.
The residential PV market has been growing rapidly in the regions served by Creative Solar USA, and Seifert is confident that the trend will continue. "In 2016 alone, we installed more than 400kW in South Carolina, and more than 250kW in Georgia using E Mount Air," he noted. "Plus, we already have about a half-megawatt of projects under contract for 2017 - and we'll be using E Mount Air on all those, too."
 
Educating consumers, helping them to save on solar.
Creative Solar USA is proud to be a sponsor of Solarize Decatur-DeKalb, a solar PV bulk-purchasing program. The coalition was created to make solar more affordable and accessible to homeowners, business owners, and nonprofits in Georgia's Decatur and DeKalb counties. By enabling bulk purchase of materials, customers save 25 percent on costs and have access to free solar evaluations, education workshops, and a network of qualified solar contractors. "People have to have confidence in the products we're using," said Seifert. "You need to educate people first, show them examples, and then they will be open to a new way of doing things-just as I was!"
 

Roof Tech, Inc. | www.roof-tech.us