VT Solar wins Architecture & Dwelling
Mission
The mission of the Virginia Tech Solar Decathlon Team is to inform and educate the public about issues of energy (particularly solar) while enhancing student education through a design-build process of innovative research and testing through application.
Our multidisciplinary team strives to achieve the following goals:
- To illustrate how solar energy can improve the quality of life. Solar energy is clean; it significantly reduces pollutant emissions; and solar energy is renewable, thereby increasing our nation’s energy security.
- To make the public aware of how energy is used in their daily lives, and to illustrate the energy consumption of daily activities.
- To demonstrate that market-ready technologies exist that can meet the energy requirements of our daily activities by tapping into the sun’s power.
- To demonstrate that sustainable materials and technologies can comprise a beautiful structure in which to live, work, and play.
- To examine a project in a prototypical manner to develop solutions that can be reproduced and realized through manufacturing techniques with economic benefit
- To challenge conventional practice through interdisciplinary collaboration and corporate partnerships
Values
Through the Solar Decathlon we examine the relation between academia and practice and between research and its corresponding contribution to society. The competition presents opportunities to challenge the ideals of solar housing design, integrate technology and architecture, and ultimately promote solar power. A collaborative of students, faculty, and staff from the departments of architecture, industrial design, interior design, landscape architecture mechanical, structural, and electrical engineering have come together to design, build and operate a unique solar house that demonstrates a comfortable living and working environment, excellence in sustainable construction, and strong architectonic expression.
The 16-month process of design and construction involves individuals with varying degrees of skill, expertise, and background. Teamwork in conjunction with strong student leadership is required. Problem solving, information flow and integration, alternative generation, ideation, innovative troubleshooting and testing are all part of an experience where the consequences of decisions are real and verifiable. This design/build, hands-on learning experience not only requires innovative design strategies; it necessitates a program of funding through corporate and industry contacts. As part of this effort, students in collaboration with architects and engineers, surveyed manufacturers and suppliers to procure materials that were sustainable, energy conscious and a qualitative improvement for the residential environment