April 4, 2024 A New Approach to Solar

Solar-powered fabric designer shakes up the clean tech industry with new manufacturing space and community job training program.

Small Brooklyn-based solar-powered fabric company, Pvilion, has made waves for the clean tech industry with their recent expansion through the opening of their new headquarters and initiation of local clean energy job training program.

Pvilion, a small business that designs, manufactures, and installs turnkey solar-powered fabric products, began a little over a decade ago with just three founders – Colin Touhey, Robert Lerner, and Todd Dalland – and a shared vision. They viewed every surface that receives sunlight as an opportunity to feature lightweight fabric that could generate electricity.

Today, the company has a unique line of solar-powered fabric products that can do just that, as well as a team of thirteen full-time staff members to help design, manufacture, and install them. To keep up with their growing business and maintain local manufacturing, the solar fabric company recently opened a brand new 13,500-square-foot headquarters in Brooklyn’s Industry City.

The grand opening of their new headquarters marked a huge milestone for the small business. It’s opening allowed for them to partner with BlocPower’s Civilian Climate Corps program to provide green job training with neighboring Brooklyn communities. Many members of the community have had the opportunity to learn valuable clean energy manufacturing skills since the headquarters opening late last year, and four new staff members have been hired from the program to join the Pvilion team full time.

“It’s been an incredible journey to reach the point that we are at today. When I look back to where we began, it’s hard to believe how much we have grown over the past few years. It is such a privilege to help other businesses make the switch to clean energy with creative solutions and unconventional approaches to solar. Not only that, but to reach the size we are at, where we have the capacity to partner with programs like BlocPower and help provide valuable job training to members of our community in the clean energy space – that’s what this is all about,”  said Pvilion’s CEO, Colin Touhey.

Pvilion’s products range from stand-alone solar canopies, solar military tents, grid-tied long span structures, and solar-powered charging stations to battery systems, building facades, and solar powered clothing. They have worked on projects for Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour, Home Depot equipment rental centers, rooftop vineyards, the New York Botanical Garden, Carnegie Hall, the City of Miami, Tommy Hilfiger, and many more.

Their mission is to make clean energy available in any setting – with a focus on quality, appearance, and flexibility. Pvilion’s products have been used in a wide variety of settings, including architectural, event, fashion, hospitality, disaster relief, military, and municipal spaces. To keep up with their latest projects, you can visit their website at www.pvilion.com.

Subscribe to Industry Today