The overall Solar Decathlon winner—LISI House, by Team Austria of Vienna University of Technology—combines passive energy strategies with design elements, like the automated shading system consisting of white, die-cut drapery that encircles the home, casting a leaflike shadow into the living area.

PATRICIA KIRK JOHN CONNELL Solar © When international teams of univer- sity students recently constructed a solar village, their creations predictably revealed innovative approaches to designing extremely Decathlon high-performance homes. But the dwell- ings that the teams crafted also reflect and support the lifestyle, values—and financial University-led teams means—of their generation Y creators. create a cutting-edge The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon was held October 3 to 13 at solar village in Orange Orange County Great Park in Irvine, Cali- fornia—the first time the biennial event County, California. was held outside the nation’s capital—and attracted nearly 64,000 visitors, according to an estimate by the city of Irvine. The Solar 2013 Decathlon franchise is expanding, with a version having been held in Datong, China, in August 2013, and

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 URBAN LAND 81 scheduled for June 27 through July 14, 2014, Phyllis Alzamora, executive director of homebuilder, noted that “every one [of the in Versailles, . ULI’s Orange County–Inland Empire District projects] celebrates the indoor-outdoor con- The competition includes ten juried or Council, said the event was a “wonderful nection.” The floor plans are flexible, adjust- measured contests, with up to 100 points learning laboratory” for sustainable solutions. able, and open, maximizing use of space by awarded for each category. The catego- The teams applied a holistic methodology combining kitchen, dining room, and living ries include architecture, market appeal, to achieve cutting-edge, sustainable designs room into one large, open living area, he engineering, communications, affordabil- that integrate energy solutions with attractive noted. Living areas open onto large outdoor ity, comfort zone, hot water, appliances, design elements to create flexible, functional spaces, connecting occupants with nature home entertainment, and energy balance. living spaces that support a relaxed, infor- and expanding living space to accommodate The Solar Decathlon overall winner is the mal, healthy lifestyle. entertaining. Atella is vice chair of the ULI project that accumulates the highest score Jacob Atella, senior director of sustain- Orange County–Inland Empire Sustainable across the ten contests. ability for KB Home, a Los Angeles–based Communities Initiative Council. JOHN CONNELL © ©JOHN CONNELL Top left: The University of West Virginia team created a living wall and greenhouse on the sunny side of PEAK that collects heat from the sun and releases it into the living area when the interior greenhouse doors are opened. Top right: Third-place decathlon winner—AIR House, by the Czech Technical University team—has a passive solar canopy consisting of wood slats that cover the entire building and southern-facing wall and help eliminate the need for air conditioning. JOHN CONNELL © Above: Team Texas, a collaboration of the University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso Community College, designed the ADAPT house for environmentally conscious urban dwellers. It has adaptable flex spaces and a modular structure ideal for placement in an existing urban neighborhood.

Right: DALE, a collaboration of the Southern California Institute of Architecture and California Institute of Technology, can triple its size at the push of a button. JOHN CONNELL ©

82 URBAN LAND NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 The interior of LISI (Living Inspired by reason there seems to be resistance in the Sustainable Innovation) House by Team Aus- marketplace to apply them to capture natu- tria of Vienna University of Technology—this ral capital,” Schweitzer said. year’s overall winner—measures only about The fluxHome design by the University 700 square feet (65 sq m), but it lives larger of Southern California (USC), for example, with an open floor plan and plenty of stor- takes advantage of southern California’s cli- age integrated into walls. The interior wood mate, said USC team member Evyn Larson, floors continue outside, creating decks on with openings situated to capture passive both sides of the house to expand the living ventilation from the southwestern breeze. area. During the summer, double-paned, “The skylight acts as a solar chimney, allow- floor-to-ceiling glass doors can disappear ing hot air to rise out of the house,” she into walls, fusing the interior living area with said, noting that the skylight’s optical shade the outdoors. senses weather conditions, opening when JOHN CONNELL

To achieve the goal of creating homes it’s hot and closing when it rains. © that produce as much energy as they use, Team Capitol D.C., a collaboration of Above: DesertSol, by the University of Nevada at Las the 19 multidisciplinary university-led teams the Catholic University of America, George Vegas team, used a variety of passive energy strategies, including this metal solar screen, which was rusted to match from four nations—the United States, Washington University, and American Uni- the home’s weathered facade. It doubles as an artwork, Canada, Austria, and the Czech Republic— versity, used Flexinol wire louvers to shade embedded with the shadow of a mesquite tree. collaborated to design residences that use a windows on the southern exposure of its mix of passive and active energy solutions to HARVEST HOME entry to prevent solar heat achieve net-zero energy efficiency—consum- gain. Flexinol wire contracts when heated ing no more, and preferably less, energy than by outdoor ambient air, causing the louvers they produce. to close. JOHN CONNELL ©

Above: The fluxHome, by the University of Southern California team, positions windows and doors to catch southern California’s southwest breeze. A large, centrally placed skylight acts as a solar chimney. JOHN CONNELL © Left: The team created a shaded walkway using photovoltaic Passive energy solutions are of Atella cited the DALE (Dynamic Aug- panels at Insite House, instead of putting great interest to Judi Schweitzer, prin- mented Living Environment) entry, a col- them on the roof. Because Middlebury lacks graduate engineering and architecture cipal and chief sustainability adviser at laboration of the Southern California Institute schools, this team—a collection of students Schweitzer+Associates, a sustainable real of Architecture and California Institute of from 25 disciplines—obtained information to estate consultancy based in Lake Forest, Technology, as a project that pushes the build this house from the internet. California. After touring the exhibits, she envelope in terms of flexibility. The project noted, “These kinds of solutions tap into consists of two modular sections mounted nature’s income”—taking advantage of what on rails. At the push of a button, the two the climate offers. “Builders have known modular sections slide apart to create an for years how to use passive strategies to outdoor living space—tripling the size of the improve energy efficiency, but for some living area from 600 to 1,800 square feet (56

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 URBAN LAND 83 to 167 sq m). Thirty-two photovoltaic (PV) energy design element for the Appalachian high-efficiency, air-water heat pumps supply panels slide overhead to provide shade. mountain region’s climate. A living wall and the system with cold and hot water for heat- This project also has interior walls that can greenhouse located on the sunny side of ing and cooling, as well as provide hot water be moved back and forth to increase the size the house collect heat from the sun and for domestic use. The ventilation system in of bedrooms or the living room, depending release it into the living area when the inte- the floor heats and cools the living area. Cold on which space is in use. Another example rior greenhouse doors open. water is pumped into pipes in the floor and as of adjustable design elements is displayed in She also praised the passive solar design air flows past them it cools the room. In addi- the UrbanEden entry by the University of North in Team Austria’s LISI House, which includes tion, the energy-recovery ventilation unit acts Carolina at Charlotte, in which the entertain- an automated shading system consisting of as a heat and humidity exchanger between ment center transforms into a Murphy bed. white drapery, die-cut with a design inspired exhaust and fresh air, keeping living spaces Schweitzer said she was especially by military camouflage fabric, that casts a leaf- comfortable and healthy. impressed by passive energy solutions that like shadow into the living area. This curtain Atella noted that this type of system is also are used as design elements. Middle- wraps around the perimeter of the building like superior because it gradually changes room bury College, for instance, created a walkway a cocoon, shading the structure and lending it temperature and maintains a constant level shaded by the InSite house’s solar panels, an elegant appearance. The curtain opens and of comfort, rather than the intermittent warm- instead of using the panels as part of a tradi- closes with the push of a button to let in the ing or cooling inherent in conventional sys- tional rooftop array. sun’s warmth in winter and provide shade in tems, which create hot and cold spots. The University of Nevada at Las Vegas cre- summer, and offers privacy for occupants. Czech Technical University’s AIR (afford- ated a digitally fabricated, retractable solar While the building’s technology is essential able, innovative, recyclable) House—which screen to shield the hottest side of the Des- to the home’s capacity to produce a surplus placed third in the competition—features a ertSol house—the competition’s second-place of energy, Gregor Pils, the project manager for passive solar canopy that shades the structure winner—in summer and capture the sun’s Team Austria, pointed out that the LISI House while producing energy. Project structural engi- warmth in winter. The metal solar screen, design provides “understatement of the tech- neer Pavel Nechanický noted that the solar which was rusted to match the home’s weath- nology, with PV hidden on the roof, so it’s not canopy consists of wood slats that cover the ered facade, is imbedded with the muted out- the first thing you see.” building and the southern-facing wall, help- line of a mesquite tree to create a work of art. Team Austria also created a multifunctional ing to eliminate the need for air conditioning. Schweitzer also said the greenhouse subfloor system at the LISI House that regu- Cross-laminated wall panels used in the living built into the University of West Virginia’s lates indoor climate using water and air, and area hold thermal balance, and a radiant PEAK (Preserving Energy with Appalachian these elements employ active cubic capacity chilled ceiling system regulates humidity and Knowledge) house is a “brilliant” passive to hold heat or cold. Pils explained that two stabilizes indoor comfort, he said. Atella suggested that the prefabricated CORE in ’s Start.Home is Decathlon Champs a “takeaway” with potential application for KB Home. The prefabricated CORE module, The overall winner of this year’s competition l Communications, LISI (Living Inspired which includes a kitchen counter and appli- is the Living Inspired by Sustainable by Sustainable Innovation) House, Team ances, a bathroom, a laundry room, and a Innovation (LISI) House by Team Austria of Austria: Vienna University of Technology; mechanical room with integrated electrical Vienna University of Technology. l Affordability, Start.House, Stanford and plumbing systems, can be transported DesertSol House, the University of Nevada University; easily and plugged into the main section of at Las Vegas team’s entry, took second place, l Comfort zone, Radiant House, Santa Clara this modular structure. The mechanical room and AIR (affordable, innovative, recyclable) University; is a compact, energy-efficient distribution House, by the Czech Technical University l Hot water, Ecohabit House, Stevens center that facilitates control and mainte- team, came in third. Institute of Technology; nance. CORE’s systems were built on a plug- l Appliances, fluxHome, University of Contest winners in each of the ten categories are and-play concept and can be easily updated Southern California; as follows: by replacing the outdated module, he noted. l Home entertainment, Radiant House, l Architecture, AIR House, Czech Technical Atella is also interested in intelligent home Santa Clara; University; systems, which control lights, mechanical l Energy balance, DALE (Dynamic Augmented l Market appeal, DesertSol House, functions, and other home functions. Team Living Environment), SCI-Arc/CalTech: Las Vegas; Ontario—a collaboration of Queen’s University, Southern California Institute of Architecture l Engineering, ECHO House, Team Ontario: , and Algonquin College— and California Institute of Technology. Queen’s College, Carleton University, and created a sophisticated intelligent home Algonquin College; system for its ECHO house, which won the engineering contest. Using real-time data

84 URBAN LAND NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 generated by a roof-mounted weather sta- tion, the system detects changes in climate and automatically adjusts lighting, windows, blinds, and heating or cooling systems to maintain interior comfort and safety. The system can also be controlled remotely with a tablet app. HARVEST HOME and UrbanEden offer innovative garden concepts. The HARVEST HOME team created a pop-up vegetable garden using milk crates. Noting that this house is being donated to the Wounded War- rior Program in San Diego, project manager

Robert Blabolil said the milk-crate concept is JUDI SCHWEITZER part of the home’s universal design, allow- Above: Team Austria’s LISI entry ing the disabled veteran who will occupy the brings the outdoors inside with the living area’s wood floor extending house to move plants around or take them to create decks and gardens on two into the kitchen for harvesting. sides of the home. UrbanEden features vertical “wallgar- Left: A passive energy solution used in dens” of removable planters. The living Team Capitol D.C.’s HARVEST HOME, room garden panel has sweet-smelling these Flexinol wire louvers contract florals to create an inviting space, while automatically when heated by outdoor the kitchen panel features vegetables and ambient air, causing the louvers to close. herbs. Outside the bedroom, thick ever- JUDI SCHWEITZER

Top left: A passive energy solution used in Team Top right: An idea used by Team Capitol D.C. in Capitol D.C.’s HARVEST HOME, these Flexinol wire HARVEST HOUSE is an outdoor table with louvers contract automatically when heated by an herb garden. outdoor ambient air, causing the louvers to close.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 URBAN LAND 85 green vegetation ensures privacy year-round. available timber products. “We used every- needs of the nation’s two largest groups of The gardens’ vertical configuration uses an thing from the tree,” said Pils, noting that homebuyers: generation Y (also referred to as efficient, water-conserving drip irrigation the organic insulation is 49 percent timber the echo boomers, or millennials) and baby system; each planter box has holes in the material, and even the tree bark was used to boomers. Some of the homes have only one bottom to allow water to drain from the top construct kitchen chairs. bedroom, while others add a small multipur- module all the way to the bottom plant. HARVEST HOME comprises 80 percent pose room that could be used as an office, a Several homes also used sensory design reclaimed and recycled materials, accord- guest room, or a child’s bedroom. elements to evoke a positive emotional re- ing to Kyle Noell, the project’s sponsorship Pils said the LISI design is ideal for sponse. Designed for a veteran with post- and construction manager, who noted that a retirement cottage or a second home traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or a traumatic the 100-year-old wood floor was reclaimed in the countryside. Noting that empty brain injury (TBI), HARVEST HOME uses its from a deconstructed church in Ohio, and nesters account for 20 percent of the garden, colors, and other sensory strategies to the wood studs came from a deconstructed Czech Republic’s population, Nechanický create a tranquil atmosphere that calms the building in Washington, D.C. said the 700-square-foot (65 sq m) AIR body, mind, and spirit, explained Blabolil. The UrbanEden team used precast geo- House, which is estimated to cost about ECHO also has a sensory feature: a band polymer cement concrete as the primary US$300,000, targets this group. Santa of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, which cir- building material. Compared with conven- Clara University’s Radiant House and cles the perimeter of home’s main living area tional concrete, this material provides a 90 SHADE, by a collaboration of Arizona State about a foot below the ceiling and changes percent reduction in the carbon footprint of a University and , colors, effectively changing the color of the building and creates a barrier to city noise. also target retiring baby boomers. walls at the push of a button. Other projects target young gen-Y pro- In addition, projects reduced their carbon Designing for the Masses fessionals. ECHO, with an estimated price footprints by using recycled and renewable Ranging in size from about 600 to 1,000 of just $257,584, targets the average young, materials. For example, LISI House is 96 square feet (56 to 93 sq m), projects recognize professional Canadian couple, which earns percent wood and is constructed of locally the growing market for housing that meets the about $80,000 on average per year. ECHO

86 URBAN LAND NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 can evolve with the family, providing a small extra room that could be used as an office or a bedroom for one or two children. Team Texas, a collaboration of the Univer- sity of Texas and El Paso Community College, designed its ADAPT home for young urban singles, couples, and other environmentally conscientious homebuyers. This project fea- tures adaptable flex spaces and a modular structure ideal for placement near an urban environment or in an existing neighborhood. Missouri University of Science and Technology’s Chameleon House is aimed at tech-savvy and budget-conscious young professionals interested in reducing their carbon footprint. The house has a modern aesthetic to engage recent college graduates and supports both a quiet working atmo- sphere as well as social gatherings.

Special Needs A few projects are geared toward people with special needs. Team Capitol D.C.’s universally designed HARVEST HOME features Americans with Disabilities Act universal design require- ments for physical accessibility. Designed for easy transport and quick construction by semiskilled laborers, Borea- lis, the ’s entry, offers workers in Alberta’s northern territory an alternative to crowded work camps. Also designed for rapid assembly, Phoenix House by the Kentucky/Indiana team, a collabora- tion of the University of Louisville, Ball State University, and the , is designed for middle-class families displaced by tornadoes or other natural disasters. Schweitzer commended the U.S. Depart- ment of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for sponsoring this event. “Every one of these projects is a winner,” she said, noting the thoughtful creativity and diversity of ideas in projects designed to meet various challenges presented by different demographics, climates, and geo- graphical regions. UL

PATRICIA KIRK is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles.

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