A small group of potential donors gathered at the newly landscaped Montante Development Riverview Solar Technology Park on Riverwalk Parkway in Tonawanda on July 1 to learn more about the US Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon and sustainable green houses. University at Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Planning is one of 16 international teams participating in this event, October 8-18 in Irvine, California. The UB team has dubbed their sustainable residence “GRoW Home” (Garden, Relax or Work). At the Riverwalk event attendees saw the in-progress, wood-framed house, and heard about the two-year-long building project from department dean Robert Shibley, assistant professor Martha Bohm (whose specialty is “sustainability and environmental systems”), and student Chris Osterhoudt. Osterhoudt demonstrated some of the 770-square-foot accessories designed by the student team, including a coffin-like wooden bench that doubles as a standing clothing dryer. The UB teams will trek to Irvine, re-build their home, and be judged in various categories to win a trophy and international, glowing green bragging rights.