September 11, 2007 4:00 AM PDT
PowerHouse Enterprises design principal John Rossi (left) and President Quincy Vale (right) show off a cutaway of the active solar roof. On the top of the roof are photovoltaic cells that convert light into electricity. Below that are liquid-filled tubes that are heated by the sun to make hot water for home use. In the demo model, the array is capable of generating 600 kilowatts of electricity--about a fifth of the size of a typical solar electric residential system.
The company expects that its buildings, including the PowerPod and another modular green home in Cambridge, Mass., will qualify for the U.S. Green Building Council's Platinum-level LEED certification.
Photo by Martin LaMonica/CNET News.com
