Green Panels

It takes a quick view of cities on Google Maps to observe the immense amount of gray and dead area as a consequence of the rooftops in urban regions. The expansion of infrastructure caused a decrease in natural coverage and biodiversity in cities, leading to effects such as heat islands, air pollution, floods, negative psychological effects and accumulation of CO2. To homeowners, the heat exchange between their houses and the environment increases, even with insulation, heaters and air conditioners spend great amounts of energy to keep the houses warm in winters and cool during summers, creating a financial weight.

The versatile design and installation technique of solar panels can be translated to the design of green roofs to be installed on any kind of roof as a retrofit. With that, we developed the Green Panels, they consist of a recycled plastic tray, lightweight substrate and resistant plant species. Solar panels are usually installed facing the side of the house which receives the most sunlight, leaving the non-covered areas a perfect spot for Green Panels. The Green Panels are designed to be compatible with existing solar panels and possibly increase their efficiency. *Patent pending