Team New York, comprised of students from the Spitzer School of Architecture and the Grove School of Engineering at The City College of New York, is one of 20 teams competing in the 2011 US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon. We are designing and building an operational solar-powered prototype dwelling to be installed and open to the public on the National Mall in the nation’s capital Washington, D.C., from September 23 to October 2, 2011. You can check out the exact location here. Come check out Team New York’s Solar Roofpod- House 403!

Our team is interdisciplinary, comprised of creative minds from architecture, engineering, and the arts. We, the students, are engaged in all the project phases, from initial concept design to through to the fabrication of cabinetry.

We’ve called our Solar Decathlon entry “The Solar Roofpod.” It is designed for the most underutilized real estate in the city: the flat rooftops of existing mid-rise (4 to 10-story) residential or commercial buildings. These roofscapes offer tremendous potential as living space because of their direct access to solar energy, ventilating breezes, and nourishing rain. Team New York’s Solar Roofpod is designed to enable eco-conscious urban dwellers to live lightly, as stewards of a more resilient urban environment, cost-effectively producing solar power and heat, cultivating roof gardens, and retaining and recycling stormwater.

Our modular design uses lightweight, durable, and renewable materials, smartly incorporating photovoltaic technologies. Its adaptability allows it to be reconfigured to meet the needs of various market segments. Our prototype also addresses the challenges outlined by New York City’s 2030 sustainability agenda, PlaNYC.