Next Generation of Builders Creates Tournament of Roses Float Featuring Hydrogen-Powered Home

Youth volunteers in the Building Industry Association’s Future Builder program have successfully built a float that showcases hydrogen as a source of clean energy to power homes. 

“Building the Future” will debut at the 134th Rose Parade on January 2 in Pasadena.

Estimated to cost about $500,000, the float features three homes, one from the past, one from the present and one from the future – the concept for which was designed by students of the Junior Builders Program, a program formed by the Building Industry Association of Southern California (BIASC) that engages 10-15-year-old future builders.

As the title sponsor of the float, SoCalGas donated $100,000 to the Junior Builders Program. 

While the donation funded the construction of the float, it also aims to encourage young people to pursue a career in the building industry in Southern California, according to SoCalGas. 

“We have to look at the future of home building and we thought the best people to enlist to help us on future home building was the next generation,” said Jeff Montejano, CEO of BIASC. “It’s important to get them involved at a younger age and the creativity that they bring is something that we were looking for, so since BIA turns 100 on the day of the Rose Parade, we decided to turn over the design concept to the Junior Builders.” 

Mia Montejano, a junior builder at BIASC and daughter of CEO Jeff Montejano said this was her first time participating in the construction of a Rose Parade float. 

“We wanted the float to reflect on technology and innovation and to protect the environment. SoCalGas came in as a big sponsor for us and we’re really grateful for that. And we also just wanted it to be something inclusive for others (for underserved communities and women in building) too.

Mia added that she learned about teamwork as she helped design the float for the Rose Parade. 

“Me and the junior builders we all worked together to create a design for the BIASC float and the float is based on their hundredth year anniversary.”

“I’ve learned independence and responsibilities becoming a junior builder, and I think just working with B I A S C, you get to learn skills that I don’t think any other kid would learn,” Mia said. 

Trisha Muse, SoCalGas Community Relations Director said the home from the past designed by the Junior Builders will be an “old craftsman style” house while the home representing the present will be hydrogen-powered, with rooftop solar panels, a battery, an electrolyzer to convert solar energy to hydrogen and a fuel cell to supply electricity for the home. 

Muse said the latter is inspired by SoCalGas’ [H2] Hydrogen Innovative Experience home currently being built in Downey, California. The home will be the first home in the country to showcase how carbon-free gas made from renewable electricity can be used in pure form or as a blend to fuel clean energy systems of the future.

“It’s a demonstration project to show how you can convert renewable energy to power a home, both with electricity and hydrogen,” said Muse. 

“The microgrid right now is powering just one house, but it could potentially power a community including residents and businesses. So that’s the purpose – to kind of prove this technology and show what can be done and inspire young minds in the Junior Builders program.” 

Muse said the H2 Innovative Experience will be open to the public next year.

“It’s really impressive. The house has all the same appliances, electric and gas that your home would have. But it’s powered completely by this grid that provides the electricity and the hydrogen gas for the house. And so that’s going to be open to the public for them to see starting next year.”

To sign up to volunteer as float decorator for BIASC, visit: biasc.org/roseparade.

For more information about BIASC, visit: https://biasc.org.