Today, we have a new Humans of Uprise story for you! Meet Mark Simpson, who lives in Petworth with his wife Lida, two kids who are five and seven, and two cats. When Mark and Lida decided to make their house into their forever home, they started looking into the possibility of a solar project — and it all started with one leaky garage roof.
Uprise’s Roofing Services In Action
Mark is from Annandale, Virginia, while Lida is from Maryland. They were away for grad school and moved back to DC in 2015, which is when they purchased their home. After almost 10 years in the house, they decided to renovate it and stay there long term.
“We made a very conscious choice to come and be close to family,” Mark says. “We love the neighborhood, we love the community. Our kids are in a school that’s right nearby. And so we’re just very happy there.”
They’d patched that leaky garage roof, but the roofer said it wouldn’t last for too long. As they got serious about replacement, Mark started learning more about DC’s solar incentives. He met with Uprise’s Director of Business Development, Patrick, who walked him through a few models for financing his solar project and how to place panels on both the garage and main roof.
And then Mark learned Uprise offers roofing services as well, and connected with Uprise’s roofer TJ. Mark decided it made sense, based on TJ’s assessment, to reroof both the garage and main house at once.
“TJ’s team worked really well,” Mark says. “My roof is a pitched roof with dormers so it was kind of a complicated job. They did phenomenal work. When the house was done originally, they just like cut out the hatch and had a tar paper box on top of it. TJ was like, ‘I’m going to put in a proper roof hatch. Don’t worry about it; I got it.’ It was nice for him to go that extra mile.”
A Complex Solar Project
With solar going on three different sides of the pitched main roof and on the garage, Mark’s 28-panel solar project wasn’t a straightforward installation. But he was impressed with the work Uprise’s team performed.
“I wish I’d done it sooner,” he says. “I’ve been excited to tell everybody, you’ve got to get [solar]. You’ve got to get it soon. Because every day is a wasted one. These are megawatts you could be capturing right now, you know?”
Mark also appreciated how responsive the team was along the way. “For me, I have peace of mind knowing there’s one company that does everything, start to finish, from helping me with the financing, to installing the roofing, to installing panels and setting everything up with Pepco,” he says. “I didn’t have to coordinate between multiple people, and candidly, too, if something goes wrong or I have a warranty issue, I like the idea of just having one company to call.”
Mark and Lida’s solar system received permission to operate in September, and since then they’ve seen the benefits. Between electric bill savings and DC’s fantastic solar incentives like SRECs, Mark’s panels are generating enough income to cover the family’s solar loans.
“From my perspective, I’m happy as a clam because I spent zero dollars out of pocket and have a brand new roof and solar system that won’t cost me anything for the foreseeable future,” he says.
Mark’s background is in architecture and urban planning, and he worked in real estate development for many years. “I met a lot of contractors and subcontractors,” he says, “and I don’t know if it’s because Uprise is mission-oriented or what, but everyone seems very invested in the project and the company and it shows. So I have nothing but confidence that this system’s going to do me really well for the next 20 years and beyond.”
DC Highlight: “A Smallish City Punching Well Above Our Weight”
Mark is the Director of Planning & Economic Development for the DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID). DowntownDC BID is a nonprofit managing a 140-block area of downtown DC, including Capital One Arena, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, the National Portrait Gallery, and Federal Triangle, to name a few highlights. Mark’s role is to explore ways to reactivate the downtown core in a post-COVID world, as many people now work from home full-time or part-time, and help District and private sector partners analyze new uses for downtown buildings.
“The trends vary by degrees, but kind of all downtowns are experiencing a similar challenge,” he says. “I feel fortunate here in the District. We have a lot of phenomenal built-in draws for our region. We’re a regional hub, have an incredibly well-educated workforce, the seat of government, and incredible cultural and tourist attractions. We’re a smallish city that punches well above our weight for our population. We’re about the size of Memphis, to put it in context. Not to disparage Memphis or anything; it’s just for all the amenities we have, and quality of life, it’s pretty amazing. I’m very optimistic that we’ll see big changes in the next five to ten years; that we’re gonna make it a new place to be. It’s not a recovery; it’s a renaissance, a revitalization.”
Outside of downtown, Mark and his family love access to green space in the city.
“We are very close to Rock Creek Park, and go for hikes in that part where you could be in the wilderness a hundred miles away, and you wouldn’t know it. I think that’s really special,” he says. “Being so close to the water is also really nice. I’m really impressed with how areas have been opening up. When I was growing up, the water wasn’t as accessible. But now it’s easy for me to take my kids there and go on scooters or bikes along the capitol riverfront to the wharf.”
As he grew up in the DMV, he’s witnessed other welcome changes over the years.
“Certainly in my time, DC was kind of a government company town, nine to five, very sleepy. And no offense to the steak houses, but there were a lot of steak houses, you know?” Mark says. “Now we have phenomenal cuisine. I think the arts and culture are just unbeatable. Not just the Smithsonians, but all the theaters and local music venues. So I’m very bullish on this new DC and this chapter we’re in and where we’re headed. And solar’s gonna be at the forefront of it.”
Join The Solar Movement!
Do you want to add your roof to the growing number of homes going solar across DC? Get in touch with our team here to schedule a conversation and talk through your financing options, roofing services if you need them, your personalized design, and any questions you may have about a solar project. Our experienced, local team would love to help you on your solar journey.
Also, read more Humans of Uprise stories here to meet other community members making the switch to clean energy!