Team Canada’s Solar Decathlon TRTL Solar Shell Home is Built for Native Canadians

TRTL, which stands for "Technological Residence, Traditional Living", is a home designed specifically for the native peoples in Southern Alberta. Inspired by the tipi, the house has a round form and has ample space to host communal gatherings. The <a href="http://solardecathlon.ca/our-house" target="_blank">University of Calgary (aka Team Canada)</a> worked closely with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_7" target="_blank">native communities of Treaty 7</a> to design an appropriate home that respects their traditions and culture, and promotes sustainability through an arched solar roof, energy efficient systems and sustainable materials. TRTL (or "Turtle") is a modular home designed specifically for Southern Alberta, and could help alleviate housing problems for the native communities -- not to mention kick some butt in next week's <a href="http://inhabitat.com/category/solar-decathlon">Solar Decathlon</a>.

TRTL is a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/cylindrical-prefab-standard-house-sustainably-fits-any-family-and-any-location/">semi-rounded house</a>, which takes inspiration from the tipi's open floorplan.

Unlike most Solar Decathlon houses, TRTL is actually a two bedroom home and designed specifically for a family, plus extended family that will regularly visit.

The 1000 sq ft home features two bedrooms in the back, with bathroom, mechanical core and kitchen in the center, with an open dining and living room on the south side to soak up the sun and the daylight.

This open layout encourages larger gatherings allowing families to sit together or have a meal.

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/category/green-materials">Environmentally friendly</a> and durable materials are used extensively throughout to minimize maintenance and maximize longevity.

The steel sub-frame assembly is wrapped in TitanWall SIPs, which are mold and fire resistant as well as very durable.

All the appliances and systems are electric and energy efficient so that the entire home can run off the 8.3 kW arched <a href="http://inhabitat.com/category/solar-power">solar photovoltaic system</a> on the roof.

A modular, SIP wall panel system and temporary screw pile foundation is used to construct the home, which allows for rapid and flexible assembly.

Currently, according to Canada's Indian Act, a permanent structure on-reservation automatically becomes part of the land, not privately owned.

So there is very little incentive for the native peoples to build houses.

The modular design and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/temporary-pavilion/">temporary</a> foundation also helps bypass legal barriers to ownership on a reservation, because technically it could be relocated if necessary.

This will encourage ownership, entrepreneurship and responsibility for maintenance and upgrades.

Floor plant of Team Canada's TRTL house.