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
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California Leads in Solar Rooftops
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Commercial Buildings, Parking Lots Offer Significant Potential for Solar Energy
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Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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Understanding Road Diets
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New California Law Regulates Warehouse Pollution
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Phoenix Announces Opening Date for Light Rail Extension
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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