A design fix helps Brooklyn brownstones go green.
Homes in Brooklyn and Manhattan may face an architectural obstacle in going solar, Liz Stinson explains in Wired: the flat roof common to brownstones and brick buildings.
Besides the fact that solar panels may perform better at particular angles, skylights and HVAC systems can provide physical barriers to installing solar arrays.
To solve these problems, local firm Situ Studio and startup Brooklyn SolarWorks created a solar canopy that bolts to the roof and elevates photovoltaic panels by 10 feet. It avoids obstacles on the roof, clears city codes, and allows Brooklyn’s bright young things to keep up their rooftop gatherings.
Stinson notes that the canopies, which are customized to every roof, make a "conspicuous addition to the skyline":
[SolarWorks CEO] Ludwig considers that a good thing. “We think as more people go on their own roofs and they see their neighbors going solar with canopies, that’s going to add a viral effect to going solar,” he says.
FULL STORY: A Clever Canopy Brings Solar Power to Brooklyn at Long Last
Google Debuts Rooftop Solar Mapping Tool
Currently in its early stages, Project Sunroof tracks how much sun every roof receives. Then it estimates the costs and savings if rooftop solar were installed. Right now, the tool only covers the Bay Area, Fresno, and Boston.
California Leads in Solar Rooftops
A combination of state and local incentives and building code mandates has helped California far outpace other states in residential rooftop solar permits.
Commercial Buildings, Parking Lots Offer Significant Potential for Solar Energy
Massive swaths of flat rooftops, garages, and surface parking lots go underutilized. They could be producing renewable energy.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
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The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.
Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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