Newswise — A team of faculty, undergraduate, and graduate students spanning four colleges — the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, the College of Engineering, the Pamplin College of Business, and the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences — has created a solar-powered house for the 2009 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, taking place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. through Oct 17, 2009.
An attribute of the Virginia Tech entry that makes an immediate impression is the Eclipsis system -- an advanced building façade comprising two layers: a metal shutter shade and a translucent insulating panel. The shutter shade slides along the north and south façades, providing protection from direct sunlight while simultaneously allowing for indirect, natural lighting, views to the exterior and privacy to those inside. The sliding insulating panel is a translucent polycarbonate panel filled with aerogel. Aerogel is a super lightweight, highly insulating translucent material that provides insulation equivalent to a typical sold wall during harsh weather conditions without blocking natural light.
Known as Lumenhaus, the Virginia Tech structure will compete against 19 other universities to determine which team has designed and built the most efficient, operational solar-powered house to address evolving quality of life issues.
Virginia Tech is one of only two U.S. universities invited to compete in the first Solar Decathlon Europe, which will take place in Madrid in June 2010. The Solar Decathlon Europe competition is modeled on the biennial U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.
Learn more about Lumenhaus at www.lumenhaus.com. the website includes a documentary, a video build-up that shows how the house is constructed from the inside out, detailed information about the technologies featured in the house, and a video experience of living in the house.
Link to the Solar Decathlon at http://www.solardecathlon.org/
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