The 2011 Solar Decathlon is heating up as 20 teams of students from around the world construct stunning, energy-efficient homes at the National Mall’s West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C. The competition officially opens on September 23rd, but we’re excited to bring you a first look at each of this year’s incredible solar powered homes – hit the jump to check out the state of the art in green building!
The perFORM[D] House by Florida International University is an open design that responds to its environment and its inhabitants. Like Paul Rudolph’s Cocoon House, it has operable louvers that can be raised or lowered to provide privacy, shade and protection from the elements.
Hawaii’s model home, which unfortunately was withdrawn, was designed to meet the needs of middle-income buyers in a tropical climate. Hale Pilihonua features a design based on louvers and an integrated aquaponics system.
Re_home, by the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign, is an easily transported home that is perfect for disaster relief conditions. The eco-friendly and comfortable mobile home will offer flexible living spaces for a family who has lost their home due to a natural disaster.
Can’t wait to visit all of the homes!!
Oh, and of course, Go Terps!
Make us proud you crazy engineering turtles!!
Love the INhome, but funny how the one one in SoCal already got tagged.
This is such a cool thing for architecture. Every year it’s exciting to see what students are capable of.
The Hawaii house is great.
SCIArc/CalTech – Just give them an award for collaborating. The most progressive architecture school meets the top brainiac school.
Hawaii and SCIArc/Caltech are the most innovative and forward thinking pieces of architecture. They should be commended for proposing experimental designs. That takes guts
The others are much too conventional for my taste but still fun to see
how can you claim that these designs/buildings are energy efficient?
simply by adding solar gadgets to a design, does not end the reliance of the design on highly industrialized processes, which is where the bulk of the energy is utilized.
for one example, where would the e-cube project procure its envelop materials from?
all these designs are completely dependent on a system that is absolutely detrimental to the sustainability of humans, and the earth in general.
the all house it’s so cool .I love it.
and, hope my container house can like this in the future.
and if want understand it,you can go to http://www.containerhouse-china.com .maybe it’s yours
good idea for investment our elec.
thx