DON'T MISS: Solar Energy Contractor to Demonstrate New Technology

Richard Ciota recently had his home equipped with a solar energy system – but not the typical kind you can often see around town. Instead of the large panels mounted on the roof of his home, he opted for solar shingles.

Ciota is a contractor with Divison 7, a Stony Brook-based roofing company that performs waterproofing, maintenance, vegetative roofing, solar energy installations and other services. On Sunday, Ciota will invite the community into his home at 11 Seville Lane in the S Section to show off his new solar energy roof shingles and share the benefits of having that system.

The event will take shape as a backyard barbecue between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. It will feature a side-by-side comparison of a home with the typical solar panels and a home with the solar shingles.

"The shingles blend in and look really good, whereas the panels that used to be standard issue are awkward to say the least, and have cause all kinds of problems because of the kind of installation necessary," he said in a statement. "We're really excited about this."