These days, everyone is concerned about saving the environment and preventing global warming.

One organization in New York City is educating the public about environmental issues and striving to develop entirely energy self-sufficient buildings. Welcome to Solar One…
 
[Christopher J. Collins, Executive Director, Solar One]:
“It’s a prototype building for a much larger facility that will replace it right here at this site, that we call Solar Two which will be the first net zero energy building in New York city and also a net zero water building as well.”

As well as saving the planet, living in a self-sufficient building could earn you money as well, by selling the extra energy you generate, but don’t use, back to the grid.

[Christopher J. Collins, Executive Director, Solar One]:
“In terms of energy, we’re forecasting that we’ll have about eight percent on an annualized basis to sell back to the grid. So, what that means is that there are going to be days that we’ll borrow from the grid, like today when it’s raining and days when it’s really sunny. But, when you annualize that, at the end of the year we expect to have eight percent over to sell back.”

Tonight Solar One are holding a fundraiser for their new project Solar Two and honouring some of their hard working young environmentalists with awards.

Lauren Remington Platt and her sister Ashley are being awarded for the hard work they have put in promoting Solar One and organizing the junior committee. Lauren was featured in Vanity Fair Magazine and named Solar One as her favorite charity.

[Lauren Remington Platt, Young Environmentalist Award Winner]:
“It’s a prototype to what can be in our nation, and I think it's incredibly important to think about new ways to use energy, and Solar Two, it’s really bringing sustainability to a whole new level.”

Solar Two will generate all its own electricity and be surrounded by a screen of vegetation, which will keep the building cool in summer.

The Solar One and Solar Two buildings serve as a possible blueprint for a future energy efficient New York City.

Ben Hedges, NTD News