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.
Read the 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.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet
Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.
LAX SkyLink opening delayed again, contractor won’t commit to new deadline
The project was supposed to open its doors to the public in 2023.
Caltrain may slash over one-third of its stations
If Bay Area voters reject two transit tax measures, Caltrain, BART and AC Transit will see steep service cuts.
A 'dangerous' precedent: North Carolina successfully pressures communities into voting for toll roads
Two mayors resigned from the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization after it voted in favor of the toll roads.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello