NYC Rooftops Redefined: The Future of Urban Solar
No two buildings in New York City are alike—and no two rooftop solar systems should be either.
A post and truss 50kW solar canopy installed on top of Ferrara Manufacturing in Long Island City in Queens by Brooklyn SolarWorks. Photo via Ferrara Manufacturing
Homeowners are finding creative ways to bring clean energy to some of the most architecturally complex, historically sensitive, and space-constrained rooftops across the five boroughs. From landmarked brownstones to high-performance Passive Homes, no roof is too complicated for solar, as Brooklyn SolarWorks has spent years proving. Below are a few projects that show what’s possible.
The Flat Roof Home
Space is the ultimate luxury in New York. With a flat roof home, you can transform your roof into usable roof space with the Brooklyn SolarWorks Canopy. This solar canopy gives you two things at once: a new living space in the sky and the clean energy to power it.
Mounted above your rooftop, solar canopies can provide shade, rain protection, and a structure that makes the whole space feel intentional.
Underneath, the space is yours: a dining area, a lounge, a garden, whatever you can imagine (that fits within the city rules).
The Landmarked and Historical Home
A landmark designation doesn’t mean solar isn’t possible, it just means that it needs to be carefully designed to meet city requirements for landmarked buildings. Brooklyn SolarWorks has brought solar to some of the city’s most protected blocks: historic brownstones, designated row houses, and landmarked streetscapes that haven’t changed much since the 1800s.
On a landmarked home, every design decision is carefully evaluated by the city to adhere to a specific set of design guidelines. Solar systems must be invisible from the street and conduits must be run along the back or inside of the home.
The result is solar that respects the history of a building while quietly pulling it into the future.
Passive House and High-Performance Homes
In collaboration with Paul Castrucci Architects, the multi-family building pictured below features a 14kW solar system that provides 100 percent of the power needed for all the units’ heating and cooling, public hall lighting, and central ventilation system—greatly reducing utility bills.
The architectural team designed the roof profile with solar in mind: the architect oriented the pitched roof due-south with the intention to cover it with solar.
No two buildings in New York City are alike and no two systems should be either. Every project here was designed from scratch and shaped by the structure, the neighborhood, and the homeowner.
Curious what solar could look like on your home? Get a free consultation today at brooklynsolarworks.com.
[All photos via Brooklyn SolarWorks except when otherwise noted]
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