Schenectady, NY – January 30, 2025 – Jackson Demolition Service, Inc. has received an Award of Merit in the Energy and Industrial category in Engineering News Record (ENR) Southeast’s 2025 Best Projects Awards for its work on a confidential solar decommissioning and site restoration project in the Southeast United States.

The award recognizes Jackson’s performance on a complex dismantlement effort that included draining and disposal of residual heat transfer fluid, removal of non-hazardous pipe insulation, and demolition of a large scale parabolic trough solar array spanning more than 500 acres. The array included approximately 190,000 mirrored panels mounted on structural aluminum frames and steel supports with associated piping and concrete pile caps.

To execute the work safely and efficiently, Jackson developed a mobile “disassembly line” approach, deploying multiple specialized crews focused on defined work phases such as residual fluid removal, insulation handling, glass removal and disposal, superstructure dismantlement, concrete demolition, crushing and recycling, and final grading and restoration. Custom receptacles and tarping systems supported glass removal while minimizing cleanup, and modern demolition equipment with grapple and shear attachments enabled controlled separation and processing of aluminum and steel for recycling.

Project highlights include significant material diversion through recycling, including large volumes of aluminum, steel, stainless steel, and concrete processed for reuse as aggregate and backfill. The project also maintained a strong safety record with no lost time injuries reported in the submitted project summary.

“Receiving this recognition from ENR is a meaningful honor for our team,” said Mike Kinelski, President of Industrial Services. “This project required disciplined planning, specialized methods, and constant attention to safety and environmental controls, and our crews delivered.”
Because the project is confidential, the client name and certain site details are not being released.

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