• What a beautiful day to vote for Solar Ivy! http://bit.ly/9s42d0 #
• Happy Thursday! Great day to March fo(u)rth and vote for Solar Ivy! http://bit.ly/dkOOtY #
• Wow! We're only 8 fans from 1500! We had just reached 1000 at the end of 2009. Great to have all you 500 newest… http://bit.ly/dlL5bx #
• Looks like the Pepsi competition is starting to heat up! We're at #29 right now. Have you voted for Solar Ivy today? http://bit.ly/crByqp #
• Don't forget to vote for Solar Ivy today! http://bit.ly/bT7r0e #
• Here's the cover of the March 2010 Metropolis Magazine issue that Solar Ivy is featured in…check us out in the… http://bit.ly/bq5DcM #
• Here's the cover of the March 2010 Metropolis Magazine issue that Solar Ivy is featured in…check us out in the… http://bit.ly/bYsBOs #
• Check out Solar Ivy in a full-page
  article titled "The Ripple Effect" (pg 104) in the March 2010 issue of… http://bit.ly/d2pLbn #
• Check out Solar Ivy in a full-page article titled "The Ripple Effect" (pg 104) in the March 2010 issue of… http://bit.ly/bpC0S7 #
• Solar Ivy is featured on the Joint Nature
  Conservation Committee (JNCC) website!

  JNCC is the statutory adviser… http://bit.ly/958V3R #

• Just checked our Pepsi standings and it looks like we're at #24 right now. Did you vote for Solar Ivy today? http://bit.ly/cG7edv #
• Don't forget to check out our GROW/Solar Ivy panel currently on display at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC! It's… http://bit.ly/ddvlQ8 #
• By the way, we'd like to say 'hello' to all our new fans! Thanks for joining us! http://bit.ly/d42LKM #
• We're at #14 now! Great work! Keep voting! http://bit.ly/bc3R19 #
• Wow!! We're at #18! Way to go team! Let's keep up the momentum and get into the top 10 today! http://bit.ly/cHEqO1 #
• Well, I didn't know this would happen, but our grant application got extended into this month! We have until March… http://bit.ly/doC2n3 #
• 45 minutes left to vote for Solar Ivy! http://bit.ly/dmnpfK #

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• Last day to vote for Solar Ivy! Tell all your friends! http://bit.ly/9WZYfd #
• Last day to vote for us! Thanks! http://bit.ly/9k4InA #
• Made it up to #31! Keep on voting, there's just one day left for the competition! Tell all your friends! http://bit.ly/d5gHug #
• Please cast your vote for Solar Ivy! http://bit.ly/8Yq6im #
• We just moved up to #32! Can you vote and post our link on your page to move us up a few more notches? Thanks! http://bit.ly/bM0Q4w #
• Just voted for Solar Ivy! Voting ends on 02/28/10! http://bit.ly/amv9mG #
• Only 3 days left to vote for Solar Ivy, have you voted today? http://bit.ly/b2BLj4 #
• What a grey day today…if Solar Ivy were on your home it would still be producing power in this weather! Can you… http://bit.ly/9jwLpj #
• Happy Tuesday! Only 5 more days of daily voting for Solar Ivy! Tell all your friends! http://bit.ly/cR9mug #
• Still at #33 with only 6 more days to vote! Can you help by posting the link in your status? If all 1438 of us do… http://bit.ly/cykgUB #
• Uh oh! We're going the wrong direction! Down to #33 now! We need your help…and lots of it! Vote for Solar Ivy! http://bit.ly/cqXqEJ #

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• Last day of the weekend to move us up from #31! Vote for Solar Ivy today! http://bit.ly/dcOAmm #
• Have you voted for Solar Ivy today? We're still at #31…can you help us get into #30, or even #29?! http://bit.ly/a04YEd #
• Happy Saturday! Just voted for Solar Ivy…don't forget to vote today! We need to get into the 20s! Remind your… http://bit.ly/bvVK6b #
• Hello, all! Sorry the 'Vote for Solar Ivy' reminder is so late today…was out of town with no internet! Just got… http://bit.ly/9rUKzY #
• Just voted for Solar Ivy before breakfast. Bowl of cereal and Solar Ivy! Great way to start the day! http://bit.ly/bohSAN #
• Be sure to vote for Solar Ivy before…or after dinner! We need *lots* more votes to get into the 20s, then into… http://bit.ly/aUw4za #
• Just voted for Solar Ivy for today, and we're still stuck at #31. Our goal is to be in the 20s by this wknd…can… http://bit.ly/cWShJc #
• Still at 31st place…can you help us get back into the 20s? There are only 12 more days to vote! http://bit.ly/9XE6GX #

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• <3 Happy Valentine's Day <3, everyone! Wouldn't today be a great day to vote for Solar Ivy? Only 2 more weeks to… http://bit.ly/dgILql #
• Don't forget to tell your valentine to Vote for Solar Ivy! We're still at #30! http://bit.ly/9BsZhq #
• Just checked the Pepsi standings once more before bedtime, and we're at #31! Nice work! Keep it up everyone and… http://bit.ly/bTryQV #
• Solar Ivy is still in a holding pattern at #32…can you help us get into the 20s by the weekend? Only 17 more days… http://bit.ly/cmdtpN #
• As of 1pm, up to 32nd place! http://bit.ly/bBDvRd #
• Check us out on core77 today! http://bit.ly/d026h0 #
• Check us out on core77: SMIT's Solar Ivy in the running for a Pepsi Refresh grant! http://tinyurl.com/y9k49xe #
• We're back at 33rd place! Our goal is to break into the 20s by the end of the week…can you help? Tell all your… http://bit.ly/9Z4Vxq #
• Looks like we're back at 34th place…did you vote today? http://bit.ly/csShKf #
• Just checked at 1:50pm, and we're at 33rd place! Woo! Keep it up team! http://bit.ly/cJ6woU #
• As of 10:15am, we are at 34th place! Thanks to those who are voting! http://bit.ly/bJpGOl #
• Happy Tuesday! Just voted for Solar Ivy! Still holding at 35th place right now. Don't forget to vote…only 19 more… http://bit.ly/dgZBjG #
• Down to 35th place as of 6:30pm!! Woo! Thanks to those who voted today! http://bit.ly/9yho0x #
• Still holding steady at 37th place, as of 5pm…did you vote today? http://bit.ly/bMR9Na #
• As of 8:45am this Monday morning, we are at 37th place in the Pepsi Refresh grant competition! Now our goal is to… http://bit.ly/b2Q8E4 #
• Down to 38th as of 7pm! We like the way this is going!! http://bit.ly/ay7GZT #
• Wooo! We made it down to 39th place as of 6pm Sunday night! Good work, team! http://bit.ly/8Y5Gde #
• It's Sunday and as of 4pm, we are in 40th place!! Can you vote today to get us into the 30s? We're so close! Thanks! http://bit.ly/brjqf2 #

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Hello, friends!

We are very excited to announce that as of 02/05/10, GROW is on display as part of the new show ‘Action! Design over Time’ at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. If you are in town, drop by to see it! It is an ongoing show, so it will be up for quite a while.

Museum of Modern Art
11 West 53 Street  New York, NY 10019
(212) 708-9400

We will be posting photos very soon of GROW in this new installation at MoMA!

Cheers,
-Sita.

Hey all,

We have been in the running for a $50k grant through the Pepsi Refresh Everything competition since 02/01/10, and have until 02/28/10 to be chosen to receive one. The way it works is sort of like a popularity contest…we have to get tons of votes from the general public. We have been doing everything we can to spread the word about us and what the money would allow us to do. When the competition began we were at 202nd place, and in one week have made it down to 37th place…so voting really does work!

Can you help us get into the Top 10? Here’s how to do it:

- Go to: http://www.refresheverything.com/SolarIvy
- Sign-up to vote (you will have to enter your name, valid email address and birthdate) – must be 13+ years old.
-Go back to the Solar Ivy page and click on ‘vote for this idea’.
- Vote daily until 02/28/10!

Please tell all your friends! We need all the votes we can get to push us into the Top 10. (Only the Top 10 ideas receive grants!)

If you are on Facebook or Twitter, look for us and repost/retweet our postings!

Thanks and don’t forget to Vote for Solar Ivy everyday until 02/28/10!
-Sita.

• : Pepsi update…we're up to 41st place as of 9pm Saturday! Thanks to all who got us there! Let's see if we can… http://bit.ly/ciI9Gj #
• Happy Saturday! We're back down to 45th place…can you vote today and get us down into the 30s? Thanks! http://bit.ly/9gsXgW #
• : now we're at 50th place in the Pepsi grant competition! We'd like to be going into the smaller numbers, not the… http://bit.ly/bpK7td #
• : we fell back to 48th place in the Pepsi $50k list…remember you can vote daily till 02/28/10! We would love to… http://bit.ly/9GgiyN #
• The "Action! Design over Time" show (organized by Paola Antonelli) opens today at MoMA! Go see GROW (Solar Ivy's… http://bit.ly/c9nYri #
• @AskNatureTweets: Thanks for the post! in reply to AskNatureTweets #
• A new day to vote for Solar Ivy! We're at 45th place, let's see if we can get into the 30s or better today! http://bit.ly/djW3QB #
• Come to "Vote for Solar Ivy!" Thursday, February 3, 2011 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Join us in voting for Solar Ivy… http://bit.ly/b1FGix #
• Another day to vote for Solar Ivy! Thank you for your votes!! http://bit.ly/ae5val #
• Be sure to cast your vote for Solar Ivy today on the Pepsi Refresh Everything site!

  We need your help…we've… http://bit.ly/ckJCOO #

• Don't forget to visit GROW (Solar Ivy's predecessor) at the MoMA show "Action! Design over Time", opening this… http://bit.ly/dCfnEH #
• VOTE FOR SOLAR IVY!!!

  We need your help! We have applied for a $50k grant through Pepsi, and we need your vote to… http://bit.ly/afkfFz #

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There has been a nagging question in the back of our minds for quite some time: how much energy can Solar Ivy save a building by providing shade?

Solar Ivy is designed to maximize solar gain on it’s photovoltaic leaves throughout the year.  This is done on every project by adjusting two of the system’s major parameters (leaf spacing and pitch) based on solar orientation.  Since Solar Ivy is designed to capture as much light as possible and will typically be attached to building surfaces, it follows that the system will shade any building surface it is attached to.

Solar Ivy Pitch Range

When reviewed as a shading system, Solar Ivy is closely aligned with some of the basic principals of passive solar design.  It allows a portion of the sun’s energy to hit a building’s envelope in the winter, and provides shade during the summer.  If a system like this is utilized over a window or a glass wall, the energy needed to heat and cool the adjacent interior space can be reduced.  Generally speaking, as the amount of South and West facing glass increases, more effective energy offsets can be achieved using passive solar design strategies (in sunny climates of course).

Some of the larger jobs we have discussed with potential clients involve utilizing Solar Ivy on high rise buildings with glass curtain wall facade systems.  As many readers already know, this type of construction tends to be on the energy intensive end of the spectrum.  One of the major causes of this is similar to the greenhouse effect: sunlight enters the building through it’s glass walls and heats up the building’s interior environment, which can not cool down because of the all glass enclosure (you can read more about this phenomenon here).  Because of this, most glass buildings require air conditioning systems which consume tremendous amounts of electricity providing comfortable interior spaces.

Projects like this bring the question to the fore: how much energy can Solar Ivy save a building by providing shade?  What are the shading offsets relative to the amount of solar power the PV system produces annually?   I set out to answer these questions in a course I enrolled in last semester at PAE: Introduction to Environmental Analysis (thanks and credit due to Professors Rashmi Sonal and Erik Verboon of Buro Happold Engineers).  The course focused on sustainable design methods, and specifically the use of energy modeling and simulation to analyze a building’s energy performance.

The Solar Ivy energy analysis was done in the environmental modeling software IES, an emerging industry standard for energy modeling in architecture.  This software takes a number of inputs like building construction and material types, HVAC system type, internal gains (heat from people, lights, computers, etc.), and solar heat gain among many others.  Using these inputs, the program runs an annual energy simulation based on average weather data and building configuration.  In other words, you tell the software how the building is made and used.  It uses historical weather data to simulate the energy needed to keep the building within a comfortable temperature range year round.  By changing a window size or adding a shading device, a designer can analyze how their changes affect the building’s annual energy performance in a simulated environment.

For the Solar Ivy shading analysis, an input model was constructed based on an ideal commercial client’s program: glass curtain wall construction for commercial or institutional use in a sunny climate.  This model was tested in two locations, New York and Dubai, and in each location, three leaf density scenarios were evaluated relative to a base case.

Low, Medium and High Leaf Densities

Solar Ivy Density Range

In every Solar Ivy test case, the building’s AC system required less energy to condition the interior space throughout the year.  The simulation also showed that the amount of electricity saved by shading was greater than the amount of electricity produced by Solar Ivy – usually by a factor of two or three.  This exciting finding has led us to an important conclusion: Shading Matters!

SMIT has the tools to incorporate this knowledge in the design process, which now includes the ability to project Solar Ivy’s total energy offsets for our clients.  Please contact SMIT if you are developing a project that could utilize Solar Ivy as a shading screen, or if you have any questions about this work.

-Ben

• Solar Ivy's predecessor, GROW, is part of the permanent collection at
  the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. It was… http://bit.ly/cijiFD #

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In December I completed my first semester in the Product Architecture and Engineering (PAE) Lab at the Stevens Institute of Technology.  PAE is a graduate level program “integrating the the study of Architecture, Engineering, Product Design, and Interaction”, all of which are central to SMIT’s work.  More from the PAE website:

“The program overcomes longstanding deficiencies in design education by creating a distinctive fusion of design culture and technology through the disciplines of computation, analysis, and advanced production methodologies.

The curriculum focuses upon immersion in the tools that inform this design convergence, and creates opportunities for students to undertake applied research on real projects and collaborate with designers, engineers, scientists and manufacturers at the most progressive design firms in the metropolitan New York area.”

The program is headed by John Nastasi, and I have found it to be a perfect fit for my academic and professional aspirations.  SMIT hopes to both further it’s design work based on the knowledge and experience gained in the PAE lab, and hopefully to work directly with PAE on the continuing technological development of Solar Ivy and GROW.  The first effort in this vein is a Solar Ivy Shading Study, which will be described in a forthcoming post.

I encourage any designer considering graduate studies to look into the PAE lab at Stevens, and I look forward to updating SMITblog readers on my progress in this exciting program.

-Ben