Solar Canopies Provide a Solution for New York Roofs

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.