“We didn’t want just a store. We wanted something that fully encompasses what we were doing.”
So says Paul Long, the co-owner of Anian, a surfboard company making waves from inside their own, solar-powered headquarters.
When they originally purchased a downtown Victoria lot for their business in 2013, they were planning to power it conventionally.
“I really thought I was going to pull power from the city,” says Nick Van Buren, the other co-owner.
“[But] it’s about $5500 to get a pole on this side, and then you’ve got to have a power bill.”
It forced them to think outside the box for their power needs. Their buildings are made solely from recycled and reclaimed materials, and they recently had a successful crowdfunding campaign to purchase four 250-watt panels.
It’s enough to power all the necessary lights and tools, with plenty left if the company ever expands.