RPI Interns Join Berkshire Innovation Center's SolaBlock

PITTSFIELD, Mass — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates Rachel Soto-Garcia and Abdullah Abid have joined clean-and-construction technology company SolaBlock, a member of the Berkshire Innovaction Center, through Rensselaer's "Invent@Rensselaer Startup Immersion" program.

"This internship gives me an opportunity to understand and appreciate the renewable energy industry in a new light. I want to help places that are still developing and help the world for a better tomorrow," Soto-Garcia said, adding her parents experienced frequent power outages from rain in their home country of Guatemala.

They will create a depository of all blueprints for the company, alongside updating the automation of SolaBlock's Solar Masonry Units (SMUs), which embeds a solar cell into a cement masonry block.

"My parents are originally from Pakistan, and I have often heard and experienced several instances of rolling blackouts due to lack of supply of electricity. SolaBlock represents a clear way to not only switch over to sustainable methods of energy but to greatly add on to any location's energy supply," Abid said.

The internships will offer Soto-Garcia and Abid hands-on experience in their field as they prepare to return to  Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute this upcoming fall to develop their masters' project for their M. Eng. degree in mechanical engineering.

Less than two hours from the Rensselaer campus, SolaBlock's final assembly plant will open this summer in the city.

Professor Asish Ghosh, Director of the Inventor's Studio Courses and Invent@Rensselaer Startup Immersion Program, and a Professor of Practice at Rensselaer's Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering Department, said that such programs help the entire ecosystem of universities, startups, and state & federal agencies focused on advancing the STEM-based workforce.

Eric Planey, chief executive officer of SolaBlock, noted that partnering with Rensselaer will help SolaBlock expand its operations.

"For SolaBlock, not only do we have access to such premier engineering talent like Abdullah and Rachel, but as we enter the New York State market, having the credibility of a strong relationship with RPI will accelerate that growth. RPI also has an incredible architecture school, and potential collaboration there will also help us get our product into market," Planey said in a statement.

Soto-Garcia and Abid graduated in May with their bachelor's degrees in mechanical engineering.

Professor Diana Borca-Tasciuc, an expert in solar cell design and technology in Rensselaer's Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering Department, said that the collaboration with Solablock would lead to innovating, designing, and manufacturing of building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), a step in the right direction to achieve net zero buildings.

Professor Antoinette Maniatty, Acting Department Head of Mechanical Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, also the home to the Invent@Rensselaer Startup Immersion Program for the School of Engineering, noted that these internships would lead to several collaborative projects between Rensselaer, SolaBlock and sources of funding both at the state and federal levels, including the implementation of new manufacturing jobs.

Dalton Fire District Faces Major Decision on Future of Station

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:36AM / Monday, September 07, 2026

Select Board Chair Robert Bishop brings up the potential of collaborating with the Fire District on a combined public safety building, which would solve both the fire and police station problems.

DALTON, Mass. — For several years, the Dalton Fire District has emphasized the fire station's space limitations, and a recent community and space needs analysis further demonstrated that significant decisions need to be made about the facility's future.

 

The district was established in 1884 after rapid growth strained the town's limited water supply for drinking and fire protection. After a fire destroyed seven paper mills, local leaders began searching for new water sources. Check out our story on the district's charter. 

 

MissionCIT (Critical Immersive Training) LLC was contracted by the district to conduct the needs assessment, with its findings presented during last Tuesday's Board of Water Commissioners meeting. View the full report here. 

 

Over the last century, the department has evolved alongside advances in firefighting technology and practices, with changes in staffing, training, equipment requirements, and call volume and types ultimately causing it to outgrow its facility, Mark Waters of Mission CIT said. 

 

The most recent change came in 2022, when the district assumed control of the ambulance service following the closure of the Dalton Ambulance and Rescue Association and added Advanced Life Support to its services.

 

The department now provides both Advanced and Basic Life Support services.

 

"The bottom line is that this building is being used for something today that it wasn't built for almost 70 years ago," Waters said.