Building for the Future: Solar Decathlon 2011
FEBRUARY 1, 2011
The U.S. Department of Energy annual Solar Decathlon challenges 20 collegiate teams from around the world to design, build, and operate solar-
powered houses that are cost-effective and energy-efficient as well as people-friendly and attractive.
New York City has not one, but two, entrants among the 20 chosen participants in the 2011 contest. At the International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando, FL in January (via Proud Green Home), students from CCNY–”Team New York” presented the only urban entry, designed to be built on a rooftop to make use of the city’s 1.6 billion square feet of roof space. Their Solar Roof Pod uses less energy, reduces air pollution and protects the roof’s surface as well as making use of solar energy, as explained in this video by the students. Expos like IBS are an opportunity for the teams to pick up sponsors to help them reach the next phase, which is making their creations a reality.
The second Decathlon entry from the city’s greenest minds is emPowerhouse, from Parsons The New School for Design and Stevens Institute of Technology. Its design uses simple, energy-efficient building methods to enable its inhabitants to achieve self-sufficiency. The next step for the Parsons team? In partnership with Habitat for Humanity Washington D.C. and the Department of Housing and Community Development, District of Columbia, the team is building an affordable, solar-powered, single-family home in a low income Washington, D.C. neighborhood.
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