Media Advisory: UB’s GRoW Home enters new public phase

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The University at Buffalo’s award-winning GRoW Home is set to reopen to the public as a clean energy engagement space.

A reception marking the opening will take place from 5-6 p.m. Wednesday at the ultra-efficient solar dwelling, sited behind Hayes Hall, near Wende Hall, on UB’s South Campus.

In its new iteration, the GRoW Home will provide classroom and small event space as both a university and community clean energy resource center.

The GRoW Home — which stands for Garden, Relax or Work — was designed and built by more than 300 UB students, with broad support from Western New York businesses and donors. The house produces more energy than it consumes, and features a greenhouse for self-sustaining food production.

In 2015, the structure was trucked across the country, to Irvine, California, where a team of UB students and faculty rebuilt it for participation in the U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored Solar Decathlon, a prestigious international competition. The GRoW Home placed second overall and received three first-place awards.

When the competition ended, the structure was disassembled and shipped back to Buffalo, where it was then rebuilt on South Campus.

As part of a project funded by the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA), the GRoW Home will relocate to a permanent site near the Solar Strand on UB’s North Campus. Work will begin on that phase after the academic year concludes in May.

Leadership support for the reopening has been provided by NYSERDA as part of the REV Campus Challenge grant.