Member Spotlight: TACAW

The Arts Campus at Willits (TACAW) is a community gathering space in Willits, hosting performing arts and cultural events. Since opening in the summer of 2021 (they just celebrated their first birthday!) TACAW has hosted 13,000 attendees at 106 performances and events.

TACAW is also the nation’s first net-zero, all-electric performing arts facility that functions using at- or near- net-zero usage throughout the year.

HCE assisted with rebates for many building components, including solar panels and multi-stage heat pumps. We also provided technical assistance as building engineers worked to install the relatively new technologies.

“Holy Cross Energy and CORE were great partners in helping us go net-zero. It’s extraordinary that we are the country’s first net-zero event space, and it reflects our community’s values,” said Ryan Honey, executive director. Other stakeholders in the project included Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and Sunsense Solar.

Jeff Orsulak, a board member at TACAW and a project manager at Lipkin Warner Design & Planning, said the decision to go net-zero was easy. “At first, we thought, can we do this? And then it became, yes, let’s do this! Our board and staff were all on the same page about the impact we wanted to make.”

Besides an integrated lighting system with sensors in the restrooms, patrons are unlikely to notice any changes behind-the-scenes that make TACAW a net-zero facility.

“The user experience doesn’t change,” Orsulak says. “What will folks see? A great show.”

We’ll be hosting Brats & Kilowatts at TACAW on Wednesday, October 5 at 6 p.m. Enjoy a complimentary brat and a beer (or wine) on us! Learn about the programs and services we offer to help members like TACAW go all-electric. Be sure to register so we know to expect you!

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