Everything on PV Integrated (Solar) Roof Shingles

[Michael S.]

Hi everyone,

Some of you may remember me from a thread I posted years back on modular construction that got a lot of traction here. For those who don't know me my name is Michael Sgambati. I spent a good chunk of my career in the modular and offsite construction space but a few years back I saw a real opportunity in residential and commercial solar in New York and New Jersey. Aged grids, some of the highest utility rates in the country, and a very favorable incentive landscape. It just made too much sense to ignore. I founded Cleanstart Energy and haven't looked back since.

Nearly a decade in this industry, thousands of conversations with homeowners, investors, builders and contractors, and I want to be upfront, w do have a vested interenest in this product as we are the full general contractor, managing everything from initial consultation through installation, activation and long term service. So yes I have a commercial interest here, I won't pretend otherwise. But the purpose of this thread is purely to educate. Because even among people who follow solar and real estate closely, I am genuinely surprised by how little awareness there is around this technology. And the thing is it's already here. Not five years away, not a lab concept. Being installed on homes right now.

So what exactly is a PV integrated roof shingle? In the simplest possible terms, it is a roofing tile that IS the solar panel. Not panels mounted on top of your roof. The shingle itself, the actual roofing surface, is simultaneously generating electricity. The energy generating component and the weatherproofing component are one and the same product.

Now here is something that doesn't get nearly enough attention. The leading integrated solar shingles on the market today are made from concrete and rated to last 50 years or more. You are getting a roof that is more durable than almost any traditional roofing material on the market and it also happens to generate clean electricity. And aesthetically, these systems are genuinely beautiful. No racking hardware, no panels sitting above the roofline, no conduit snaking along the fascia. Just a clean, architecturally stunning roof that powers your home.

Which brings me to what I think is the most obvious point that somehow rarely gets said out loud: if you are building a brand new home from the ground up and you are not seriously considering an integrated solar roof, I genuinely don't understand why. Your putting a roof on that house regardless. Your buying roofing materials regardless. If sustainability and energy independence mean anything to you, it just seems worth considering . In 10-15 years people are going to look back and wonder why this wasn't the standard from the start.

But I digress, over the coming posts I'll cover how the technology actually works, the real cost picture, what this means for home value, new construction vs retrofit, and what to look for in a product and installer. If your in the industry please jump in and share what your seeing. 

Looking forward to the conversation.

— Michael Sgambati