The Staten Island Enconomic and Development Corp’s First Annual Health and Environment Conference
Thursday, September 17th, 2009| September 24, 2009 | ||
| 8:00 am | to | 8:00 pm |
| 8:00 am | to | 8:00 pm |
Join the SIEDC and Solar1 on this fun filled day and learn how to live a happier, healthier and greener life in New York City!
The Staten Island Health and Environmental Conference 2009 will present the latest information on healthcare and environmental issues by industry experts and professionals, and is the first of its kind on Staten Island. The day long forum will consist of vending, seminars, panel discussions and keynote addresses. Free on-site medical screenings will also be provided! In addition, The Health and Environment Conference will demonstrate why a clean environment is important to a healthy lifestyle. Participants will also learn the latest ways to incorporate green practices into their businesses, homes and lifestyles and about the environmental impact of current practices.
WHEN: Thursday September 24th, 2009, 8:00am-8:00pm
WHERE: Hilton Garden Inn- Staten Island
For more information contact: SIEDC at 718-477-1400, or visit SIEDC.org
Posted in Green Building, NYSERDA, New York City, Other Events, Photovoltaics, Renewables, Solar One, Solar One Events, Solar Power, Technology | Permalink
Green from the Inside Out, plus Winter Networking Mixer *FULL*
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009| January 20, 2010 | ||
| 6:00 pm | to | 10:00 pm |
Tonight’s Event is full. Space is still available for the 1/25 Green From the Inside Out.
Solar One in partnership with the Office of Recycling Outreach and Education will be touring Green from the Inside Out, a three-part workshop on recycling, energy efficiency, and rooftop possibilities for multifamily buildings, throughout New York City.
These workshops are designed to give building owners, shareholders, and managers the tools, resources, and information they need to green their multifamily building. Look below for the workshop descriptions, to see the date and location of the next workshop, and to reserve your spot.
If you would like us to bring these workshops to your neighborhood, contact Celia Salgado at celia@solar1.org, or 212-505-6050.
A Survey of Solar Energy Roof Applications for NYC: Solar Thermal, Photovoltaics, Green Roofs and White Roofs
In this workshop Solar One will introduce, define and discuss the economic and quality of life implications of three solar rooftop applications that have considerable promise in the five borough area: solar thermal technology, photovoltaics and white roofs.
Navigating NYC’s Recycling Landscape
Hear about new recycling laws and old misconceptions. Find out how to avoid fines, improve your recycling program and get your tenants to recycle. Learn about other ways to reduce waste, recycle more and help make NYC a little greener. OROE is a program of the Council on the Environment of New York City.
Combating Rising Energy Costs with Energy Efficiency for Multifamily Buildings
Find out how to reduce fuel and utility costs while improving resident comfort and building performance. Solar One’s NYSERDA Energy $mart Communities Coordinator will present cost-effective ways for residential building owners and managers to make lighting, appliances, heating and cooling more energy efficient. Learn about the government and utility incentives that are available for your building, as well as the Community Preservation Corporation’s new Neighborhood Energy Loan Program that provides financing for retrofitting multi-family apartment buildings for energy efficiency.
WHEN: Wednesday, January 20
6:00pm to 8:30pm, plus post-event mixer!
WHERE: Central Park Arsenal
830 5th Avenue, Suite 318, NY
RSVP’s required. Send email to celia@solar1.org to RSVP.
And from 8:30-10:00pm we are hosting a special event! Only on this special evening we will be hosting a Winter Networking Mixer overlooking Central Park! Invite your clients and business partners to partake in this unique networking evening. Find out what’s going green, and who’s going green in the Upper East Side! Entrance is free and drinks can be purchased.
RSVP’d guests can arrive at 6:00 to speak with Vendors about products. Presentations will start at 6:30pm and run until 8:30pm. There will be breaks in between presentations to talk to Vendors.
Free! Refreshments will be served. Vendors will be available to answer any technical questions about energy audits, different roof applications, and recycling.
GREEN FROM THE INSIDE OUT is a product of Solar One, in partnership with the Office of Recycling Outreach and Education. This series was made possible by a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Posted in Energy, Energy $mart Communities, Energy Efficiency, Global Warming, Green Building, NYSERDA, New York City, Photovoltaics, Photovoltaics, Pollution, Recycling, Renewables, Solar One, Solar One Events, Solar Power, Sustainability, Waste, green roof, green roofs | Permalink
Some Great Reading for Going Solar
Friday, August 14th, 2009We’re always hearing from people who want to put solar panels on their warehouse/co-op/house/tiki huts, and we always try to point people to the wealth of resources and information that’s out there. But there always seems to be a dearth of solid case studies and testimonials, which is why it’s great to see Scientific American tackling the issue in a series of posts about installing solar and saving energy called 60-Second Solar. There’s great information there about the process, in addition to post about things like cool roofs, power purchase agreements and the other stuff that can make the layperson’s head spin. Yesterday’s installment might be particularly useful for those of us in urban settings as it tackles the subject of creating a solar power cooperative – essentially a group of neighbors who go in on a solar project together to maximize benefits and reduce costs. We’ve heard of this type of thing before with groups like 1BOG, but this post was packed full of interesting tidbits and useful lessons about the experience of trying to make it work (in this case the group was in Washington, D.C. but they could just as easily have been in Astoria or Park Slope). You should check out the entire post, but here’s some key points:
I figured we could get something going within a year. Boy, were we wrong. As we grappled with what was actually involved in making our dreams real, we spent two years climbing the solar power learning curve, and it was steep….
Amidst this welter of conflicting forces, our beautiful but innocent idea of neighborhood solar power was not enough. We needed expertise to give our project credibility with decision makers who could deliver real financial benefits for our members. So we scaled back our ambitions and started with smaller steps. We touted basic energy-efficiency measures to our members as the prerequisite for going solar. (Drafty windows and outdated appliances waste solar energy just as fast as they waste carbon energy!)….
From our experience, a solar cooperative has to educate and empower its members about the challenges of going solar, including:
- The costs and savings of a standard solar installation that will suit the needs of most members
- The relevant local regulations and permitting process for solar installations
- The federal tax credit for solar installation, as well as state and local incentives
- How to sell Renewable Energy Credits (RECs)
- How to talk to a solar contractor
It’s an interesting story and a good lesson in how life in the real world can be lot more complex than our idealistic visions. That’s not to say we should all give up our dreams of a solar-powered future, but it’s going to take equal measures of persistence and patience to get there.
For more information on going solar in New York, check out our PV resource page, NYSERDA’s Power Naturally website and DSIRE’s list of available incentives for renewable energy and efficiency projects.
Posted in Energy, Energy Efficiency, Green Building, Links, Photovoltaics, Renewables, Solar One, Solar Power | Permalink
Energy Efficiency and Green Technology Opportunities Business Forum
Wednesday, June 17th, 2009| June 30, 2009 | ||
| 7:30 pm | to | 9:30 pm |
Empire State Development Corporation Division of Minority & Women’s Business Development in collaboration with U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency present a full-day program designed to help you prepare your company for new business opportunities in energy efficiency, green building construction, alternative energy technologies and more. Learn the information you need to identify new projects, understand what qualifications you will need to bid on them and advance your company in the energy efficiency and green technologies market.
New stimulus funds, new tax incentives, new legislation, new energy efficiency programs and new energy efficient technologies are creating new business opportunities for construction professionals, construction managers, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, professional service consultants and financial professionals to grow and expand their business.
Diana Pangestu of SolarOne/NYSERDA will be exhibiting and distributing information about NYSERDA’s programs in energy efficient building technology.
Bank of New York Mellon
101 Barclay Street, NYC
Register here
Posted in Energy, Green Collar Jobs, Housing, Renewables, Solar One Events, Sustainability | Permalink
Green from the Ground Up
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009| May 11, 2009 | ||
| 6:00 pm | to | 9:00 pm |
In this workshop Solar One will introduce, define and discuss the economic and quality of life implications of three solar rooftop applications that have considerable promise in the five borough area: solar thermal technology, photovoltaics and white roofs. Note Location: University Settlement, 273 Bowery (at Houston)
6:00 PM - Navigating NYC’s Recycling Landscape
Recycling: it’s good for the city, benefits the planet and is required by law, but many find the reality of recycling challenging. How does your building’s program measure up and how can you improve your recycling performance?
Residential building managers, superintendents, board members and others will benefit from this presentation from the Office of Recycling Outreach and Education (OROE). Hear about new recycling laws and old misconceptions. Find out how to avoid fines, improve your recycling program and get your tenants to recycle. Learn about other ways to reduce waste, recycle more and help make NYC a little greener. OROE is a program of the Council on the Environment of New York City.
7:00 PM – Combating Rising Energy Costs with Energy Efficiency for Multifamily Buildings
Concerned about the increasing costs of energy in your building? Green from the Ground Up presents a workshop for Energy Efficiency in Buildings that offers tips on reducing your building’s energy use while making an environmental impact. Learn how to improve your building’s energy efficiency in lighting, appliances, and heating systems, thereby lowering your fuel and utility bills.
In this workshop, Solar One’s NYSERDA Energy $mart Communities Coordinator will discuss government incentives available for your building such as the Multifamily Performance Program, and weatherization programs. Vendors will be available to answer any technical questions, and to sign up your building for an energy audit.
8:00PM – A Survey of Solar Energy Roof Applications for NYC: Solar Thermal, Photovoltaics, Green Roofs and White Roofs
Over one million buildings make up New York City’s one of a kind built environment, and the nearly one billion square feet of largely vacant roofscape that mark its vertical border amount to what is perhaps our most underutilized asset. Our roofs have an enormous potential to accomodate clean solar energy applications and therefore to address a number of our most pressing local energy challenges, including the urban heat island effect, escalating household energy costs, power failure, growing carbon emissions, and poor air quality.
Posted in Education, Energy, Energy Efficiency, Green Building, NYSERDA, New York City, Other Events, Photovoltaics, Photovoltaics, Recycling, Renewables, Solar One Events, Solar Power, Sustainability, Waste, green roof, green roofs | Permalink
Dutchess County To Get 161 Green Jobs
Friday, April 10th, 2009
The sun may soon bring something new to the Empire State. According to a press release issued Tuesday by Governor David Patterson’s office, New York is about to get its first solar cell factory.
SpectraWatt, a spin-off of Intel Corporation and relative newcomer to the solar scene, will set up shop in Hudson Valley Research Park and expects to be ready for production by early 2010. Their upstate factory will process and manufacture the silicon-derived “cells” which other firms will turn into those familiar icons of renewable energy – the typical solar panel that is making its appearance on more and more buildings and homes throughout the country.
SpectraWatt anticipates an initial production capacity of 60 MW in its first year, bringing 100 new jobs to New York. By 2012, the facility is expected to operate at a full capacity of 120 MW and 161 employees. The state will supply $3 million of the $81 million projected cost through the Empire State Development Corp. and an additional $1.5 million through NYSERDA. In addition, for relocating to the Poughkeepsie-Dutchess Empire Zone, the company will receive a significant tax break, as well as 200 metric tons of solar grade silicon (the raw material for most photovoltaics) per year from Globe Specialty Metals, another company that recently announced its intentions to move to the area. In exchange, Globe will receive 40 MW of hydropower from the state.
Established in the summer of 2008, less than a year later, SpectraWatt is poised to become a green job pioneer in New York. Given recent trends, it is unlikely to be the last.
Sources: “SpectraWatt Sets Up Headquarters in New York”, press release – April 7 2009, www.spectrawatt.com; “SpectraWatt to Tap Local High-Tech Pool”, Pougkeepsie Journal, April 8, 2009; “Governor Paterson Announces New Solar Cell Manufacturer to Move to Dutchess County”, press release – April 7, 2009, www.ny.gov/governor; Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation website, www.thinkdutchess.com.
Posted in Green Collar Jobs, NYSERDA, Photovoltaics, Politics, Renewables, Solar Power | Permalink
Theatre and the Environment Panel at the CUNY Graduate Center
Thursday, April 9th, 2009Theatre & the Environment Panel
(And an excerpt of a work in progress)
Thursday April 23, 2009, 6:30pm
At the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center
CUNY Graduate Center
365 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Join us on the evening after Earth Day to explore what theatre artists and production staff are doing to meet the extraordinary challenges of climate change. At a time when local, state and federal governments are setting goals for reduction in carbon emissions, holding public meetings to solicit public recommendations for adapting to rising sea levels; when businesses are beginning to talk about renewable energy, closed-loop waste streams, and innovative mobility systems; what are we doing in the theatre? (more…)
Posted in Renewables, Solar One | Permalink
NYSERDA Multifamily and Photovoltaic Incentives
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009| April 15, 2009 | ||
| 6:30 pm | to | 8:30 pm |
Looking to reduce your building’s energy use, and need resources to help? Join Energy $mart Communities Coordinator, Diana Pangestu, for a seminar on two of NYSERDA’s more popular incentive programs – the Multifamily Performance Program, and Photovoltaics Incentives. Find out the in’s and outs of each program, how much incentives are available, and how you can start saving money today. Get energy efficiency tips for your building and find out what government tax credits and incentives you may be eligible for. For more information, contact diana@solar1.org or 212-785-0734. Location: Solar One Building – 2420 FDR Drive, Service Road East.
Solar One is the contract implementer of the NYSERDA Downstate South Energy $mart Communities Program. For more information on NYSERDA programs, contact your local E$C Cordinator, or visit the websites:
www.getenergysmart.org www.nyserda.org www.powernaturally.org
Posted in Energy, Energy Efficiency, Green Building, Photovoltaics, Photovoltaics, Renewables, Solar One Events, Solar Power, Sustainability | Permalink
Come Craft with Us at Sustainable NYC on Thursday March 19
Friday, March 13th, 2009Some of you may remember the offsite Green Renter Lecture that Chris Neidl held at Sustainable NYC, a really cool and lovely eco-boutique on Ave A in the East Village. Owner Dominique Camacho has generously offered us her storefront windows for a Solar One display that will be up through spring. We’ve decided to make something solar and recycled, and came up with the idea of making flowers out of old shopping bags, then attaching some to solar panels with little motors. Those flowers will spin when the sun hits them, and the display will be interactive because passersby will be able to stop the spinning by blocking the light. Pretty cool, huh? After we take the display out of the window, we’re planning to have it at our Solar One events this summer.
This is what the flowers look like:
On Thursday March 19 at 6pm, bring yourself, your crochet hooks and knitting needles, your old plastic bags and your ingenuity. The flowers in the pic were made with a D crochet hook and the pattern will be available next Thurs, but if you’d rather knit, or have another idea for a flower pattern, well, bring it on! The more variety, the better. We’ll be meeting at Sustainable NYC at 139 Ave A between St. Mark’s & 9th St. There will be free snacks and tons of fun!
For those who are interested in the design/construction aspect of the display, please email Events & Marketing Coordinator Dina Elkan at dina@solar1.org for more info on where and when we’ll be putting it all together. We’d like to have the display in the window by April 1.
To recap:
What: Create flowers out of plastic bags by crocheting or knitting
Where: Sustainable NYC, 139 Ave A between St. Mark’s & 9th Street
When: Thursday, March 19 at 6pm
Bring: Old shopping bags (transluscent plastic only, please! The opaque, shiny bags get too sticky to work with easily), crochet hooks and/or knitting needles, your friends, your brilliant ideas and lots of enthusiasm!
We hope to see you there!
Posted in Design, New York City, Recycling, Renewables, Solar One, Solar Power, Sustainability, Waste | Permalink
Chris Neidl in the GOOD 100!
Wednesday, February 18th, 2009Each year, GOOD Magazine assembles a list of 100 “people, businesses, and institutions driving change in the world.” This year we are proud to see that they have chosen Solar One’s Outreach and Advocacy Coordinator Chris Neidl as one of their 100. Chris has been tireless in his work buidling programs at Solar One and working to make the case for the promotion and implementation of solar power, so it’s nice to see his efforts getting significant recognition.
Check out the video to see Chris (and his five o’clock shadow) talking to an animated news anchor and explaining why New York City is ripe to be the solar capital of the East Coast. He also talks briefly about the portable solar chargers that he and his students built as part of the I Heart PV program.
There’s lots more coming from Solar One and I Heart PV in coming weeks and months, starting with next week’s Solar Party at Southpaw in Brooklyn. We hope you can join us!
Posted in I Heart PV, Photovoltaics, Renewables, S1 in the News, Solar One, Solar Power | Permalink
