We invite you to consider supporting the GRoW Home — a unique initiative that will promote research, education, and awareness of environmentally sustainable design, while generating significant international exposure. Click here to show your support today! We are looking for:
- Material Donation: From furniture to plumbing, we appreciate any kind of material donation that complements the GRoW Home.
- Monetary Support: From transportation costs to purchasing our own materials, any amount of donation contributes significantly to the project.
- Professional Mentoring: By donating your time and knowledge as a professional, you provide students with invaluable learning experiences. We are eager to learn in many different areas such as cost-estimation and construction.
If you are an individual and would like to support us today, click here!
If you represent a company or organization, email us today at ap-ubsd2015@buffalo.edu.
Led by the University at Buffalo (UB) School of Architecture and 
Planning in collaboration with the university’s Schools of Engineering and Management and the College of Arts and Sciences, a team of UB students and professors has been selected to compete in an elite international event — the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2015.
The Solar Decathlon is a biennial competition that challenges collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered, highly energy-efficient houses. Since 2002, six solar decathlons have taken place in the US, involving 29,000 students from 33 countries and attracting tens of thousands of visitors at each event.
The competition spans a two-year process, and is highly selective.
UB’s team will have the opportunity to design and build a solar-powered house and have its performance judged against 16 other teams! Find out more about the competition here.
The competition supports Collaborative Learning and Innovation.
The GRoW Home project provides students with irreplaceable learning experiences. Solar Decathlon director Richard King notes that this 
competition can be “life-changing” for participating students, developing “leadership, team spirit, and problem-solving skills that help decathletes excel once they enter the workforce.”
This project creates a Community Impact.
The GRoW Home will be built in Western New York, shipped to California for judging, and then returned to Buffalo for installation in the community. Ultimately, organizers hope the GRoW Home will become a valuable resource, and will be open for tours that educate and inspire school children and the public about the benefits of sustainable, low-energy design.
This project opens up Partnership Opportunities.
This effort provides a timely opportunity to forge new connections, as contributors assist students by providing resources and expertise. The U.S. Department of Energy is supplying seed funding, and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is collaborating on the design of the house’s site. Materials and mentorship are being provided by a variety of corporate donors, with support pledged thus far by LPCiminelli, Montante Solar, and Watts Architecture & Engineering.