The UB GRoW (Garden, Relax or Work) Home has received second place in this year’s U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon. This award-winning competition challenges collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive. This is the first Solar Decathlon for University at Buffalo and The State University of New York.
Urban and community gardening has become widespread movement in Buffalo, all while revitalizing neighborhoods and vacant green space. For the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2015, UB’s GRoW (Garden, Relax, or Work) House will grow all of the fresh, healthy produce they consume to follow suit. The GRoW House features a glass-enclosed solarium that provides plenty of light for plants during the growing season and heats the house in winter months. In the warm summer months, there are cloth shades on the roof that shade and cool while vents or windows allow heat to escape. Design features on the east and west sides will protect the solarium from the low morning and evening sun.
CIR Electrical Construction Corp. is proud to partner with LP Ciminelli Construction Corporation on this amazing project.
Ashley Regan, Director of Business Development for CIR says, “The staff and students were a pleasure to work with on the GroW house. We feel that it is absolutely necessary to invest in our younger generations as they will mold our future. With a 2nd place finish we couldn’t be any happier with the outcome, these kids are really dedicated and that is evident in their placing.”
“CIR electric was one of the first local companies the GRoW team met with during the early stages of our project. We were delighted to see their enthusiasm for our ambition to bring a WNY solar project to the national stage, and couldn’t be more grateful for their donation of both equipment and expertise to our project” says Martha Bohm – Assistant Professor of the Department of Architecture, University at Buffalo.
For more information on the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon click here.