Ronald McDonald House Charities:

Cambridge: Active Shade®

Welcoming Families with Shade

Phoenix, Arizona—Arizona-based Oculus Studio has planned and designed an Active Shade® solar canopy system for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona (RMHCCNAZ). The project was built in the parking lot of the organization’s Cambridge House, located on the campus of Phoenix Children’s Hospital at 1980 E. Cambridge Avenue in Phoenix. The 17 covered parking spaces provide a shaded entry and exit area for children and their families staying at RMHCCNAZ.

On July 8th, 2025 the solar covered structure system began generating clean electricity and is expected to produce more than 110 megawatt hours (MWh) of renewable energy each year. This is estimated to save the nonprofit organization 40% on its monthly electric bills and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 90,000 pounds per year. The project’s environmental benefit equal to the amount of carbon sequestered by 48 acres of U.S. forests per year. In addition, the project includes two level 2 Electric Vehicle charging stations.

“We are committed to implementing sustainable technologies that allow our donor dollars to stretch further,” said Kerry Schulman, RMHCCNAZ CEO. “The new Active Shade® parking structure with solar modules will have a positive impact on our utility budget. In addition, our guest families will be happy to find shade in our parking lot with the expectation of improved comfort during their stay with us.”

The project was made possible by a $75,000 ‘Shade for Students’ grant from the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation at the City of Phoenix.

The Active Shade Arizona-based project team includes Oculus Studio as the architect and Floor Associates as the landscape architect. Engineering is provided by Caruso Turley Scott and TRC. The project construction team includes Resolute Performance Iron, Inc., G&S Electric, and Onsite Landscape. The dedication of these project team members did ensure a timely and professional installation.

About Oculus Studio

Oculus Studio is a Phoenix-based architecture and engineering company specializing in energy efficient and high-performance building design. Oculus Studio created Active Shade®, “Shade that Works™” to offer our clients the ability to install a tangible asset that converts their parking lots into welcoming places for people and community, while also generating clean renewable energy. To learn more, visit our website: www.oculus-studio.com.

About Active Shade®

Active Shade® develops solar canopy projects with a client-centric approach to ensure high satisfaction and long term value. Utilizing a patented design concept, Active Shade® shifts the focus to a value proposition where people-friendly shaded outdoor spaces are funded by operational cost savings from the generation of clean renewable energy. To learn more, visit our webpage: www.active-shade.com.