Category Archives: Energy Connections

Solar One Tours Prism Solar

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prism_solar_holopanel

On Thursday February 21, Solar One took a day trip up the Hudson, stopping in Cold Spring for a meeting with ecoartspace and Habitats for Artists (more on that soon! Super cool top secret project in special undisclosed location!) on our way to meet the Eco-Pioneer in Poughkeepsie and a tour of the factory of Prism Solar.

Prism’s panels, which have just started to be commercially available, are unusually efficient due to their double-glass construction, which allows light to penetrate the panels, and the cells to collect additional light reflected from the panel’s underside.

Some panels also alternate strips of holographic film with the more conventional silicon wafers. While the holographs can’t collect electricity directly from sunlight, what they can do is be custom engineered to conduct the next most optimal wavelength of light to the panel, beyond the usual 42 degrees. This can increase the panel’s efficiency (the amount of electricity that a panel is capable of capturing) by up to 30%!

The other benefit of the Prism Solar holographic panels is aesthetic: When sunlight hits the panels, they emit rainbows on both sides, making them gorgeous as well as extra efficient. And these panels are not made in China, but right here in New York (with a little help from their offices in Tucson, AZ), so they create local jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and advance the solar cause with their sweet design. Check out the photos below for a glimpse into how it’s all done.

Solar cells waiting to be turned into panels.

Solar cells waiting to be turned into panels.

Robotic assembly. Don't let the arm hit you!

Robotic assembly. Don’t let the arm hit you!

This is exactly what it looks like: a giant flash camera that tests the electric output of the panels.

This is exactly what it looks like: a giant flash camera that tests the electric output of the panels.

The finished product.

The finished product.

Intro to Green for Coops and Condos: Oct. 24 at 7PM

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How can smart co-ops and condos turn pressure to “go green” into an opportunity to cut costs and comply with new codes?

This two-hour workshop, sponsored by the Council of New York Cooperatives and Condominiums (CNYC) and Solar One, an independent contractor to NYSERDA, will present cost-effective ways to reduce energy expenses and have a healthier, greener building; details on the NYSERDA Multifamily Performance Program for energy efficiency retrofits and financing; an overview of new green laws and code changes; the conversion from No. 6 to No. 2 heating oil; and strategies for engaging owners in the greening process. Pre-registration is required due to limited space.

 

This workshop is free for residents of CNYC member buildings. If your building is a CNYC member, please register by contacting CNYC at (212) 496-7400 or info@cnyc.coop. For questions about the workshop, call Solar One at (212) 505-6050 or email max@solar1.org.

 

There is a $30 fee for non-CNYC members. Please sign up by clicking here.

 

Intro to Green for Co-ops & Condos

DATE: Wednesday, October 24, 2012

TIME: 7:00pm – 9:00pm

LOCATION: New York Society for Ethical Culture

2 W. 64th Street, New York, NY 10023

REGISTER HERE

Have Questions About Energy in NYC?

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Solar One is the official outreach agent for NYSERDA in Manhattan and Staten Island. NYSERDA is the NY State agency in charge of promoting smart energy usage and development. So we’re here to help!

 

If you have questions about energy usage and programs in the city and state, we can help get you answers. Whether you are a business, office, or resident, there are programs available to help you do the right thing for our community, and use energy more efficiently.

 

Click here to go to the Energy $mart Communities page and learn more.

The Energy Saving Power of Supers and Tenants

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While solar panels and green roofs get a lot of the spotlight when it comes to greening buildings, the most cost-effective measures have always looked to improve efficiency first and foremost. Habitat Mag covered this topic today in an article on the importance of supers in the success of any greening measures a building may undertake. The major effort in this regard has been the 1,000 Green Supers training offered by the 32BJ Training Fund that has already “certified more than 1,500 union members in green operations and maintenance”. That’s great news for the urban environment of New York City as more green supers means energy savings and cleaner environments both inside and outside our buildings.

 

On the other side of the coin, a super’s efforts can be undermined by tenants who aren’t informed of what’s happening in their buildings and the role that they play in greening efforts. Solar One’s Whole Buildings program works to bring that information directly to tenants as well as to supers who may not have had the opportunity to do any training. Over the past 2 years, we have worked with dozens of buildings and thousands of tenants to help reduce energy use and the cost of operating buildings.

 

These types of programs are a great start, but with so many thousands of buildings in the City, there’s always more to do. If you’re a building owner looking to do energy retrofits, check out the New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation which might be able to help you finance your project and connect to other resources available to you. You can also look to programs such as “Green My Building” from Consolidate Energy Solutions. Because the cheapest energy, is the energy you don’t have to use.

Clean Energy Connections – next panel in Sept.

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Clean Energy Connections 2012 panel series has already had three enlightening discussions – June’s “Intelligent Infrastructure: Designing Smart Buildings for NYC,” March’s “Power in Numbers: Capitalizing on the Data of Cleantech,” and January’s “No Money No Problems? Financing Cleantech in the Post-ARRA Era.” Clean EC takes a break over the summer and then reconvenes in September for Climate Week. All events take place at the Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, 44 Charlton Street @ Varick. For registration and details check out www.cleanecnyc.org.

Going Solar on Block Island

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Last month, Solar One spent some time talking to the folks at Now Or Never Radio.  Producer Sarah Bacon was investigating solar as an option for her mother’s house on Block Island, Rhode Island and Operations Manager Jamie Paquette helped walk her through the process and available incentives.   Then she consulted with an installer to help get the ball rolling.  It’s a lot of good information for anyone considering going solar on their own home.  You can listen here.

Block Island has no electrical connection to the mainland and the electricity on the island comes mostly from diesel generators.  This makes their electricity rates among the highest anywhere.  There are plans to build an offshore wind farm to help supply electricity to the island, though they are currently hung up in a legal battle.  This means that Block Island is particularly ripe for solar development, since the incentives available and the high cost of energy will combine to reduce the payback period significantly.  We hope Sarah will update us as the project progresses.

New York City the Future Metropolis

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If you were not one of the 300 people who attended our recent event, “New York City the Future Metropolis,” you can see the speakers’ presentations on the event’s website.  Also, feel free to contact them with any follow up questions.

www.solar1.org/nycfuturemetropolis

If you were there, thank you for coming! Because of your overwhelming response and support, we are planning to do this event again next year! Check back on our website to see who will be in next year’s lineup of some of the most creative minds in New York’s building industry.

Green from the Inside Out City College

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Green Your Home From the Inside Out!

Thursday, May 20th, 6:00pm – 8:30pm
City College of New York
North Academic Center (Ballroom)
Convent Avenue and 138th Street New York, NY

Solar One, in partnership with GrowNYC presents Green from the Inside Out on Thursday, May 20th, from 6-8:30pm at the City College of New York in the North Academic Center (Ballroom), located on Convent Avenue and 138h Street. This event gives coop and condo owners, building managers, landlords, and tenants the tools, resources, and information they need to green their multifamily building through presentations on recycling, energy efficiency, and rooftop possibilities for multifamily buildings in New York City. Exhibitors of green products and services will also be present to answer technical questions.

Please RSVP to Celia Salgado at 212-505-6050 or celia@solar1.org.

PRESENTATION DETAILS:

A Survey of Solar Energy Roof Applications for NYC: Solar Thermal, Photovoltaics, Green Roofs and White Roofs

In this workshop Solar One will introduce, define and discuss the economic and quality of life implications of three solar rooftop applications that have considerable promise in the five borough area: solar thermal technology, photovoltaics and white roofs.

Combating Rising Energy Costs with Energy Efficiency for Multifamily Buildings

Find out how to reduce fuel and utility costs while improving resident comfort and building performance. Solar One’s NYSERDA Energy $mart Communities Coordinator will present cost-effective ways for residential building owners and managers to make lighting, appliances, heating and cooling more energy efficient. Learn about the government and utility incentives that are available for your building, as well as the Community Preservation Corporation’s new Neighborhood Energy Loan Program that provides financing for retrofitting multi-family apartment buildings for energy efficiency.

Navigating NYC’s Recycling Landscape

Hear about new recycling laws and old misconceptions. Find out how to avoid fines, improve your recycling program and get your tenants to recycle. Learn about other ways to reduce waste, recycle more and help make NYC a little greener. GrowNYC is a program of the Council on the Environment of New York City.

Vendors will be available to answer any technical questions about energy audits, different roof applications, and recycling.

Free event! Refreshments will be provided!

GREEN FROM THE INSIDE OUT is a product of Solar One, in partnership with the Office of Recycling Outreach and Education, a program of GrowNYC (formerly Council on the Environment of New York City). This series was made possible by a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Engineering a Sustainable Reconstruction in Iraq

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NYU-Poly Panel w Engineer Kareem 4.19.10

Join Solar One, McKissack & McKissack, CRDF, and the New York Professional Chapter of Engineers Without Borders as we host a discussion on the success and challenges of the U.S. Department of State’s Iraq Engineer Enhancement Program (IEEP) at NYU-Poly. The panel will explore the challenges of rebuilding Iraq’s scientific and technological infrastructure, and the urgency of embracing sustainable technologies.

Date: Monday, April 19, 2010, 6:00-8:00pm

Location: NYU-Poly, 160 Varick St. 19th Floor, New York, NY

Register:  Email Diana Pangestu at diana@solar1.org, or call (212) 785-0734

Listen as an Iraqi executive and engineer charged with reconstruction of Iraq’s damaged infrastructure describes the technical, professional and societal challenges facing Iraq today.

Learn more about “science diplomacy” as embodied in the Iraq Engineer Enhancement Program (IEEP), a U.S State Department program managed by the Civilian Research and Development Foundation that is designed to connect Iraqi engineers and professionals with the knowledge they need to rebuild their country.

Connect with a growing network of friends and supporters.

Panelists:

Engineer Kareem, CRDF Fellow at the Iraq Engineers Enhancement Program

Micah Kotch, Director, NYC ACRE Incubator at NYU-Poly

Lex Heslin, President and CEO, Beautiful Earth Group / renewable energy development

Jonathan McClelland, MJ Beck / financing renewable energy projects

Woody Crouch, PE, AECOM / solar power infrastructure, emerging markets

Andrew McNamara, Vice President of New Construction & Renewables at Bright Power Inc.

Moderated by:

Alaa Majeed, Iraqi-American journalist

Andrew Daquesian, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, Chair, Green Design & Construction Committee

Green from the Inside Out April 8

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Green Your Home From the Inside Out!

Thursday, April 8th, 6:30pm – 9pm
Queens Botanical Garden Visitor Center
43-50 Main Street, Flushing, 11355

Solar One, New York City’s green energy, arts & education center, in partnership with the NYC Compost Project and the NYC Department of Sanitation, presents Green From the Inside Out on Thursday, April 8th at the Queens Botanical Garden.

Green From the Inside Out gives homeowners, coop and condo owners, building managers, and tenants the knowledge and resources they need to make their homes more environmentally friendly by saving energy (and money!), reducing waste, and recycling correctly. Come test your recycling knowledge, find out about composting, learn what incentives are available for your energy efficiency improvements, find out if solar power and green roofs are right for you, and talk to vendors of green products and services. Featuring presentations by Solar One, the NYC Compost Project, the NYC Department of Sanitation, and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority Energy $mart Communities.

Please RSVP to Celia Salgado at 212-505-6050 or celia@solar1.org.

PRESENTATION DETAILS:

Reducing Energy Costs Through Energy Efficiency
Find out how to save money, help the environment, and make your home even more comfortable. Learn easy tips for energy savings, as well as cost-effective ways to make a big difference in your home energy bills.  Government and utility incentives for homeowners to make energy-efficiency improvements will be discussed by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Energy $mart Communities Coordinator.

A Survey of Rooftop Solar Applications in NYC:  Solar Thermal and Photovoltaics
Learn the difference between the two most common kinds of solar power used in New York City homes, and how to determine which application is right for you.   We’ll review the generous government incentives currently available for solar and discuss how homeowners can find a solar installer.  “White roofs” and “green roofs” will also be discussed.

Composting 101
Find out how to create rich compost from household food scraps. Learn about different compost systems and options for your building or household, and how to effectively maintain a compost bin and group composting system.

Recycling and Beyond
Learn the basics and the fine print of New York City’s curbside recycling program. Best practices in setting up apartment building recycling areas and educating residents, as well as legislative updates on materials not collected curbside, will be discussed.

Free event! Refreshments will be provided!