Every once in a while, even during the busiest weeks of the year, it’s important to make space for a little joy.
This week, our small but mighty marketing team—Alyssa, Lindsay, Katherine, and Jordyn—tried something new in the office: a gingerbread house build. It was the first time we’ve done this, and while it happened during one of the most hectic moments of the year, we have a feeling it might just become an annual tradition (with hopes of bringing in many more teammates next time).
Of course, being who we are, it couldn’t just be any gingerbread houses.
The unofficial theme quickly became solar-powered, energy-efficient gingerbread homes. Clean energy, but make it festive.
The lineup:
Our flagship gingerbread home, thoughtfully designed with rooftop solar and blower-door testing
A commercial-scale build with a flat roof, a larger system, and design considerations that change with the building
Arrived broken, held together by frosting, and still sporting solar panels; powered by hope
Of Course We Added Solar
In a move that surprised absolutely no one, we installed solar on all three gingerbread houses.
Fun fact: Cold, sunny days are actually great for solar — panels are more efficient in cooler temperatures, and in NC, snow rarely sticks around long enough to slow them down.
Not Every Roof Is a Perfect Roof
We even installed solar to the house that arrived broken and required a fair amount of structural optimism. Naturally, we stuck Alyssa, our Marketing Director, with the broken one because if anyone is going to turn a “have to” into a “get to,” it’s her!
In real life, we’re very honest about where solar does and doesn’t make sense. Not every roof is a good candidate, and we’ll be the first to say so. But for this home, the sun was shining (the marketing team turned on the bright ceiling lights), the vibes were right, and sometimes gingerbread deserves a chance.
Not All Buildings Are the Same
The gingerbread cinema was our unofficial nod to commercial solar. Different roof type, different scale, same principles: good layout, smart design, and systems that make sense for the building.
And Yes, We Added Blower Doors
Shoutout to the builders and developers we partner with to create energy-efficient homes. In honor of you, our gingerbread homes featured blower-door testing and frosting-based insulation (R-value: delicious).
The results were… inconclusive. Crumb-related leakage was significant.
Further testing was recommended.
Curious what those tests mean in real homes? We’ve got a quick explainer video for homeowners.
Behind the scenes:
Design Review, SEM-Style
As the houses came together—sometimes literally, sometimes not—we received a steady stream of expert feedback from around the SEM office. Reactions were a mixture of:
Sam (Solar Tech & Repair Guru)
Gave his seal of approval on whether one of the homes was actually qualified for home solar. We’ll let you guess which one.
Benoit (Multifamily Energy Services)
Stopped by with his dog to offer a very blunt assessment of overall efficiency. Feedback was… needed.
Brinson (Solar Operations Manager)
Deep in the end-of-year rush, but still managed a reassuring “looks good” on the solar installation techniques.
Laurie (Multifamily Energy Services Director)
Admired the modern designs and, naturally, suggested additional blower door testing.
Mickey (Commercial Solar)
Advised on proper techniques for installing panels on commercial roofs. Jury’s still out on what our installation crews think of our job.
Will (CEO, former Marketing Director)
So taken by awe that all he could say was, “This is just great,” before quietly collecting extra tea packets from the marketing room.
Carlos (AC Foreman, best smile at SEM)
Stopped by at the end of his shift. Initially concerned. Ultimately approved. We’re recruiting him next year.
Patrick (Purchasing) & Bryson (Warehouse)
Eager to know what the marketing team was up to this time. Asked the important questions: Were these homes wired safely? Did they include battery storage?
Josh (DC Foreman)
Offered words of affirmation and a cheerful thumbs-up after a very long day in the field.
We’re hoping to recruit all of these experts—and more—as gingerbread builders next year.
Why This Mattered
We want to be clear: while our marketing team was building gingerbread houses, many of our solar crews were (and still are) working six days a week, in the cold, putting in overtime to get solar systems installed before the Federal Solar tax credit deadline.
That work is demanding, physical, and requires constant attention to safety, and it’s deeply appreciated.
This small moment of creativity doesn’t exist apart from that effort; it exists because of it.
What this reminded us of is how deeply our work shapes how we think, even when we’re doing something “just for fun.” Thoughtful design, clean energy, and attention to detail all show up, whether our team is on a roof, testing air sealing in a home, or frosting a cookie.
We’re grateful for our teammates in the field, in operations, and across the company who make the real work possible; who show up every day with care for one another, our customers, and the work itself. And we’re grateful for moments, however small, that let us pause, laugh, and remember why we care so much in the first place.
As the year comes to a close, we’re wishing everyone time to rest, recharge, and—above all—stay safe.
Happy Holidays, everyone! We’ll see you next year!
