# Energy-Generating Student Structures The Solar Roofpod Has the Ability to Power NYC By Susan Keefe | Published 2011-09-19 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/solar-roofpod References: [greenpacks.org](http://www.greenpacks.org/2011/09/19/solar-roofpod-made-by-students-could-help-snip-nyc-carbon-foot-print) & [solardecathlon.gov](http://www.solardecathlon.gov/team_new_york.html#nogo) This eco-friendly structure, entitled the Solar Roofpod, was created by a group of a hundred students from City College New York and submitted to the prestigious [Solar Decathlon](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-wanda) in Washington DC. Within these stylish clean lines there is a flurry of energy. The structure is not only able to produce enough energy via the [sun and wind](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/blademade-1) to sustain itself, but also can generate enough power to provide electricity to the building is perched on. Rooftops are the only space left in the densely packed streets of NYC and are most underused urban spaces. With space at a premium in urban areas, the students of CUNY felt it was time to tap into this sky-high resource. There is over 1.6 billion feet of roof space available in NYC alone, which if populated with structures like the Solar Roofpod, the city would generate enough sustainable energy to power the city's entire gird twice over. The Solar Roofpod may offer a feasible solution to the economic and ecological woes the Big Apple is faced with. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.5/10 - Popularity: 51% | Activity: 45% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Renewable Energy Structures:** The Solar Roofpod demonstrates the trend of creating stylish eco-friendly structures that can generate renewable energy to power buildings. - **Urban Rooftop Utilization:** The Solar Roofpod highlights the trend of utilizing underused rooftop space in urban areas to create energy-generating structures. - **Sustainable City Power Generation:** The Solar Roofpod points to the trend of creating sustainable and localized solutions for a city's power generation needs. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Architecture and Design:** Architecture firms can leverage the trend of renewable energy structures to create stylish and efficient buildings that can produce their own power. - **Renewable Energy:** Renewable energy companies can take advantage of the trend of utilizing urban rooftops to create energy-generating structures for cities. - **Urban Planning and Development:** Urban planners can incorporate the trend of sustainable city power generation by utilizing underused rooftop space and creating energy-generating structures like the Solar Roofpod. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Balcony-Ready Solar Power Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ecoflow-powerstream.md) - [Solar Powered Compact Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/e55000.md) - [Tree-Inspired Solar Panel Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/solarbotanic-energy-tree.md) - [Solar Energy Camping Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/eo-canopy.md) - [Wireless Solar-Powered Lights](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/solarpowered-lights.md) - [Self-Sufficient Housing Models](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ripple.md) - [Consolidated Photovoltaic Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/photovoltaic-systems.md) - [Climate-Responsive Prefab Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/drop-pod.md) - [Prefab Timber Pods](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/forest-nests-treepod-project.md)