Big, blue, shiny, and often slapped onto roofs as an afterthought, solar panels have an unsightly reputation, but that’s beginning to change as architects experiment with creative ways to incorporate these mini energy farms into buildings. As solar architecture becomes more pervasive, designers will likely have to push the aesthetics even more—particularly in areas that have challenging design review policies from local planning commissions. This could also spur technological innovations from solar-panel manufacturers as well, as they invent new materials that can harvest energy from the sun without compromising materiality. …
New York City’s most environmentally friendly school is located on Staten Island. Designed by SOM, the Kathleen Grimm School for Leadership and Sustainability is also the city’s first net-zero campus, which is achieved through efficient systems, building orientation, and photovoltaic arrays on the roof and south facade.