Solar house on the road to D.C.
By Johanna Mitchell
A crowd gathered to watch as the product of a year and a half of blood, sweat and tears was lifted by crane onto the back of a flatbed truck Sunday and Santa Clara's solar-powered home was prepped for the journey to Washington, D.C., to compete in the 2007 Solar Decathlon.
The team experienced a minor setback the next morning when the truck bent two axles ascending the steep driveway leading up from the construction site. The damage was repaired, and the voyage was finally underway by Tuesday morning.
Santa Clara's 650-square-foot house will join 19 others on the lawn of the National Mall to form a "solar village" for eight days of competition starting Oct. 12. The event, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, is estimated to draw roughly 200,000 visitors.
Santa Clara's small school from the West will take on some of the most renowned technical schools in the nation, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech University, Carnegie Mellon University and returning champion University of Colorado at Boulder, along with universities from other countries including Spain, Germany and Canada.
Photos by Tim Sennott
Santa Clara entered the competition as an alternate, filling the 20th slot after California Polytechnic State University dropped out due to budget constraints.
Despite being labeled underdogs and the proverbial David to a flock of Goliaths by the San Francisco Chronicle and San Jose Mercury News, the team's expectations are high.
In fact, it may be the additional challenge the solar decathletes took on that will set them apart from their competition; their house is not only solar powered, but made from sustainable materials.
Working with Mark Aschheim, professor in the School of Engineering, students pioneered an innovative building textile never before used as a load-bearing structural material in the United States -- bamboo.
The sustainable and rapidly renewable alternative to hardwood will be utilized in the form of I-beams, integral to the strength of the structure.
While the interior is defined by mission-inspired architectural features with a contemporary twist, the exterior boasts 34 rooftop solar panels and a 1,200-square-foot deck -- because if anyone knows the value of sunshine, it's the Californian squad.
The university's placement in the Silicon Valley was an asset to the team, which was overwhelmed by donations of money and materials from local businesses. Through fundraising, the group raised about $800,000 to add to a $100,000 grant provided by the Department of Energy.
Volunteers donated their time, as well; over a hundred students, faculty and staff have lent a helping hand since construction began in June, as well as a number of community members.
Habitat for Humanity and Hallmark -- the contractor behind this summer's renovations to Campisi Residence Hall -- frequented the site, lending expertise and teaching basic building techniques to undergraduate workers, many of whom had little or no construction experience.
"The biggest challenge was just building a house when you've never built one, understanding construction when you've never done it," said construction manager Agustin Fonts, a senior electrical engineering major.
Project Manager James Bickford estimates most students were working between 60 and 80 hours weekly for $10 an hour, adding that many forfeited higher-paying summer jobs or internships at engineering firms to devote more time to solar home construction.
"Enthusiasm wasn't what drove this project over a year and a half. It was dedication, perseverance," said Bickford, adding that numerous redesigns and attention to detail led to a more competitive result.
The house features "smart windows," equipped with an electrochromatic film that allows the glass to tint itself, regulating the amount of heat that comes indoors while still letting natural light illuminate the interior.
The house is also equipped with an innovative absorption chiller to keep inhabitants comfortable. Unlike traditional carbon-emitting furnaces, the chiller heats water through solar energy and, if needed, thermodynamically converts it to cold water to cool the house.
Other features include an 8-foot-wide glass Nana wall, an induction cooktop that remains cool to the touch, a dual-flush toilet, bathroom tile fabricated from recycled glass and insulation made from recycled blue jeans.
The kitchen, bedroom and laundry nooks are fully loaded with energy-efficient appliances, all of which are controlled by an integrated controls computer system that can be accessed and managed online or even remotely from an internet-capable cell phone.
All the extra bells and whistles will help the team members traveling to D.C. complete 10 judged tasks, including washing several loads of laundry, running showers, watching movies, cooking dinner for solar village "neighbors" and charging a solar-powered car.
When the competition finishes, the abode will return to Santa Clara, where it will become a permanent sustainability education center and house a high school outreach program the team has already set in motion.
"The idea is that we really wanted to be able to give back to the local community because those are the people who supported us, gave us money, materials and guidance," said student Meghan Mooney, communications coordinator.
Bickford is optimistic about the team's chances and confident that Santa Clara will give the big dogs a run for their money.
"We have done a hell of a job, and I mean that," he said with a grin. "We definitely have a shot at winning. I think Santa Clara will be very well represented on the National Mall."
Correction: The story omitted the first name and title of James Bickford, project manager for the Solar Decathlon.