SAN JOSE, Calif. — GAF Energy's Timberline Solar™ has been awarded as the winner in the Energy category as part of Fast Company's 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards. The winners honor clean technology, innovative corporate initiatives, brave new designs for cities and buildings, and other creative works that are supporting the growth of positive social innovation, tackling social inequality, climate change, and public health crises.
GAF Energy, a Standard Industries company, announced the launch of Timberline Solar in January. GAF Energy developed and assembled the Timberline Solar roof at the company's manufacturing and R&D facility in California.
"We're thrilled to be recognized as a World Changing Idea by Fast Company. For all solar's success over the last decade, it's installed on only a tiny percentage of homes in the U.S.," said Martin DeBono, president of GAF Energy. "Solar needs to be on every roof to drive real impact for the world. We believe Timberline Solar is the game-changing innovation that will get us there — it can take solar from a niche product to mass market adoption. Now, thanks to the team that developed Timberline Solar, the five million homeowners that buy new roofs every year have an attractive, durable, affordable solar roof option for the first time.
"Distributed solar at that scale will truly change the world. At GAF Energy, we're focused on making that change reality by leading the next generation of clean energy adoption."
The system incorporates the world's first nailable solar shingle, the Timberline Solar ES™ Energy Shingle, which boasts an industry-defying depth of less than a quarter inch. The ES integrates with traditional shingles to create a sleek and attractive look. Timberline Solar is praised for being reliable, durable, cost-effective, easy to install, and aesthetically superior.
"We are consistently inspired by the novelty and creativity that people are applying to solve some of our society's most pressing problems, from shelter to the climate crisis. Fast Company relishes its role in amplifying important, innovative work to address big challenges," said David Lidsky, interim editor-in-chief of Fast Company. "Our journalists have identified some of the most ingenious initiatives to launch since the start of 2021, which we hope will both have a meaningful impact and lead others to join in being part of the solution."
Now in its sixth year, the World Changing Ideas Awards showcase 39 winners, 350 finalists, and more than 600 honorable mentions — with climate, social justice, AI and data among the most popular categories. A panel of eminent Fast Company editors and reporters selected winners and finalists from a pool of more than 2,997 entries across transportation, education, food, politics, technology, health, social justice and more.
The Timberline Solar ES has received multiple awards and honors since its launch earlier this year, including the Best of Innovation award from CES, Green Builder Sustainable Home Award, Good Housekeeping Editor's Choice for CES 2022, Roofing Contractor's Editor's Choice in New Innovations, and the NAHB Best of IBS Awards, Most Innovative Construction Tool.
