Meet Sam Lau

Sam Lau grew up on a Vermont farm outside Springfield son to a Chinese father and Irish American mother. With a diverse upbringing in a rural place, Sam is an unique species (we say that with love!) He’s Multi-talented and driven, he’s a competitive horse racer, captain of his Rugby team, cancer survivor, chef, and musician to name a few! After studying Sustainable Systems at Vermont Technical College Sam is excited to be putting his skills towards growing the amount of solar in Vermont.

What is your favorite part of being a solar designer? What skills in particular do you enjoy using?

I think my favorite part of being a designer is that everyday presents a new challenge.  Every design is a puzzle, whether it’s trying to fit the necessary amount of panels on one house or trying to figure out electrical plans for another. Critical thinking and patience is very much a key part of my job.
I also have a great crew in my “corner,” the other designers, Dayton, Chris and Jacob are very helpful and supportive.  We frequently get together and discuss different projects and issues that arise. We work great as a team and in turn we’re very responsive, productive and create quality designs.

What excites you most about SunCommon?

The “thing” that excites me most is simply coming to work.  No matter what frame of mind I am in or stress I’m experiencing, when I show up to work, it’s an entirely different atmosphere and aura at work. My co-workers are the most kind and fun people to be around  Everybody takes an interest in others hobbies and interests and we’ve become a family of sorts.

The other piece I love is that our bosses, James and Duane, are always asking how can we improve the time we spend at work or what can we change to make work more fun?  Every time they ask, they usually get bombarded with responses because there is so much creativity and thought here. There is never a boring minute spent at SunCommon –  that is what I love the most.

When you are not at the office you are often practicing or coaching Rugby. Are there any parallels between design and rugby?

The most important aspect of both rugby and working at SunCommon is the ability to be a “Team Member.”  I know to some that might sound generic, but being able to perform your job well, to be selfless and use your heart, in both worlds that is a win.

What is your favorite powered home appliance?

My favorite is the dish washer.  I hate doing dishes.

In just a few years, SunCommon has grown into Vermont’s largest residential solar business having served over 3000 Vermonters.  We grew quickly, with a community organizing approach to marketing, via high-touch, personal interactions with home and business owners. Our team is what makes us and our approach so unique.