Solar-powered smart home rebuilt for Berthoud Habitat for Humanity

It was built by college students in New York, then it was on display for judges in California. Now, a solar-powered smart house has arrived in Berthoud where a local family in need will soon call it home.

“I’m totally, totally happy because that’s a perfect use for it,” said Alexander Aptekar, who helped lead the team of builders.

Aptekar is a professor of architecture at the New York City College of Technology. A few years ago, his students approached him about participating in a competition: the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon.

“The freshmen were like, ‘Professor, why can’t we do this here?’ And I was like, well it’s pretty challenging,” he remembered.