For solar, one building at a time

It's not a world-turning event, but for one Roxbury business, tomorrow marks a big move toward energy independence.

The Boston Building Materials Co-op is installing solar panels on its roof, a 9.9-kilowatt system it says will generate about half its electricity needs.

The co-op says its building in Mission Hill/Roxbury Crossing was designed to take advantage of passive solar energy and was built in 1990 with strong insultation.

For more information on the 1,000-plus, member-owned retail store, which specializes in weatherization and insulation materials, kitchen cabinets, windows, and doors, go to www.bbmc.com.