About Solar One

Solar One, the City’s first solar-powered “Green Energy, Arts, and Education Center,” inspires New Yorkers to become environmentally responsible city dwellers. We do this through a variety of unique programs that seek to reach out to broad sections of the New York City population in order to connect people to the urban environment around them.  No matter who you are or what you do, Solar One likely has a program to engage your interests. We provide in-school, education, job training, outreach and cultural programs while also maintaining one of New York’s most unique public spaces at Stuyvesant Cove Park.

Education

Since its inception in 2004, the Solar One education program has brought its innovative approach to students in all five boroughs, serving more than 25,000 students, at more than 150 schools, afterschool and summer camp programs.  We provide short-term enrichment classes focused on energy, design and the East River estuary.  We have also developed long-term programs like the Green Design Lab which uses the school building itself as a teaching tool for students and teachers alike. Check out our Education Page for all the details.

Outreach

Over the years, Solar One has utilized a variety of outreach programs and strategies on an array of topics.  Today, much of our focus is on buildings and building owners through our Energy Connections program. Solar One also conducts tenant training and outreach in buildings undergoing

Green Jobs

For several years, Solar One built programs with job training components. Beginning in 2009, we began to focus on developing a program focused solely on training people for jobs in the emerging green economy.  Today, we run a robust program with over a dozen workforce agency partners that covers many topics: Solar (PV) installation, energy efficiency and Weatherizaton, carpentry, plumbing and more.  Learn more about our Green Jobs program.

Green Arts

Solar One’s Green Arts programming creates a new approach to learning about green energy and conservation. The Green Energy Arts Festival is an annual series of events that attract diverse audience members who might not otherwise attend a “green” event. Each year during the spring, summer and fall, we offer a variety of free, public programs and events, like our Solar-Powered Dance and Film Series, the Sun To Stars festival, Family Days, musical performances and more. For more information about Green arts programming, check out our Arts Section.

Stuyvesant Cove Park

The Solar 1 building is located at the north end of Stuyvesant Cove Park, the city’s only all-native plant park. Situated on a brownfield site, Stuy Cove Park offers opportunities for the local community to become involved in the park and learn about its special features. The Park has been designated a Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation for providing a quality habitat by virtue of its standards of conscientious planning, landscaping and sustainable gardening. More than 250 volunteers and 80 student interns have spent more than 5,000 hours working in the park, planting , watering and weeding the thousands of new plants that have been added over the years. For more information about Stuy Cove Park, visit our Park page.

SOLAR 2

In 2012, we hope to break ground on SOLAR 2, an 8,000 square foot 100% green-powered education and arts center that is slated to be New York’s first Platinum LEED educational facility. SOLAR 2 was designed by the reknowned green architecture firm Kiss & Cathcart, and engineered by the equally prestigious firm of Arup. For more information about SOLAR 2, click here.