While all the Solar Decathlon homes have been impressive, one that I’ve been pleasantly surprised with is the Y-Container from the Tongji University. When I first saw the model and tried to envision a shipping container house,...
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A Modular Home Made from Recycled Shipping Containers
House with Cylindrical Solar Panels and Ingenious Compact Design
The University of Tennessee built a long, rectangular building for their net-zero entry into the 2011 Solar Decathlon. The ingenuity of design can sometimes be subtle and easily overlooked in its seamless presentation. Inspired by the cantilever...
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A Modernist, Sleek, Concrete Active & Passive Solar Home
Built by Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey and the New Jersey Institute of Technology for the 2011 Solar Decathlon, the home comfortably inhabits the seemingly contradictory extemes of lightness and strength, practicality and sparse modernity. ...
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Using Strawbale, Adobe and Recycled Rubble to Rebuild in Haiti
After the devastating earthquakes in Haiti, many people and organizations went to Haiti to help with the rebuilding of the country. This strawbale home was built by Builders Without Borders using techniques that utilized both natural materials, mainly...
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Adventure and Sustainability, A Colorado Guide Company Using Solar and Wind Power
Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Paired with Adventure in the Great Outdoors - What could be a better combination? Nestled in a mountain alley on Highway 285, an adventurer can come across the Colorado rafting and guiding company Wilderness...
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A Solar Powered Modular Home After Disaster Strikes
The University of Illinois is building the Re_home for their entry into the 2011 Solar Decathlon. The Re_home is one that can be deployed as a “sustainable disaster relief solution” to be built quickly and provide housing...
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A Concrete Modern Passive Solar Home
The building style is modern, exhibiting a state of simple grace and elegance. This owner-built passive solar home utilizes concrete as its priniciple building material. Concrete is a dense material that can absorb, store and radiate heat. ...
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Watershed: A Solar and Water Harvesting Home
UPDATE: See the Watershed home in all its glory at the 2011 Solar Decathlon. This home placed 1st in the Solar Decathlon, also winning the Architecture category along the way. The original review of the model follows below....
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Our Relationship With the Universe
Today is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. On this day, the sun seemingly travels its longest and highest arc through the sky. I’m reminded of how passive solar building is dependent on the...
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Solar Decathlon Competition Homes
See the "Best of" the 2011 Solar Decathlon competition homes.
Arranged by final overall standing.
- University of Maryland
- Purdue University, Indiana
- Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
- Middlebury College, Vermont
- Ohio State
- So Cal Institute of Architecture and CalTech
- University of Illinois
- University of Tennessee
- Massachusetts College of Art & Design / University of Mass
- University of Calgary, Canada
- Florida International University
- Appalachian State University, North Carolina
- Parsons NS Stevens, NYC & NJ
- Old Dominion / Hampton University, Virginia
- Tongji University, China
- Ghent University, Belgium
- City College of New York
- Rutgers / New Jersey Institute of Technology
- Univ. of S. Florida / Florida State U / U of Central Florida / U of Florida