A Startup Wants Homeowners to Design Their Own Solar Systems

Lennie Moreno believes customer empowerment is key to unlocking the next phase of growth in residential solar, which is why he created Draw My Roof.  “I strongly believe the companies...that will win over the market in the long term will succeed because customers have full transparency,” said Moreno, CEO of the emerging solar software company Sofdesk and a former solar installer. “Once you provide full transparency and give tools to the end user, that’s when you’re building a long-term business model.”Draw My Roof is a new online platform that allows potential solar customers to design their own home solar installation, based on their own roof, and get an accurate sense of system size, cost and projected savings. With that information in hand, the customer can decide whether or not they want to take the next step and speak to a set of approved solar installers. Professionals will conduct their own site review with an enhanced set of tools -- the kind Sofdesk built its core business on -- knowing they’re already working with an engaged customer.