This project addresses the lack of affordable housing in Austin, which is experiencing rapid population growth. The students decided to build a structure using cradle-to-cradledesign principles, so the home is built almost entirely of renewable and reusable materials, with solar power modules mounted on the flat roof. Solar panels provide enough electricity for lighting, air conditioning, household appliances, and an electric car.
[youtube =https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlLfLLV_WTU]
A heat pump is combined with an integrated thermal storage system to cool and heat the water circuit in an economically optimized way. Rainwater is collected in large storage tanks and can be used as drinking water with the help of a filter system. Gray water is used for the washing machine, sink, and shower, while an aquaponic system helps irrigate the food plants.
Related: Tiny 100 percent solar-powered Maison Reciprocity House shines at the Solar Decathlon Europe
Most of the materials are pollutant- and toxin-free, and the components can be broken down and recycled. The team used renewable raw wood for the facade, while the bathrooms feature cradle-to-cradle ceramic tiles. NexusHaus is expected to be completed and tested by next summer, after which it will be transported to Irvine, California, where it will compete against other entries at the Solar Decathlon Competition taking place in October.
+ NexusHaus
+ Technische Universität München (TUM)
+ University of Texas at Austin (UTA)
+ Solar Decathlon 2015
