08.31 q and a

08.31 q and a

post your questions (and answers) in the box below

How does one get involved in projects like these? Especially if you are other desciplines like ME if it is mostly an architecture related project?

What happens to the houses after the contest?

The decathlon is available as a studio or elective class to upperclassmen and grad students in the architecture program. You receive a grade or pass/fail for it just as you would for a typical course. I am not entirely sure how the other disciplines structure their coursework on the Solar D house but for M.E. we did have a few students use the decathlon as their senior design project.

We are hoping that the house will return to Tech and be used as a research lab for further sustainable systems testing.

I recall you mentioning that you thought that using "gray/grey" water was debatable in this model since it would be self sustaining. I agress with you completely, but could you not use a blue dye toilet bowl tablet cleaner to give the water a blue glow? Thus everyday users would be more accepting of it becasue it is more aesthetic than gray water with its cloudy appearance.

Grey water is just the term used to describe water that can be re-used, a little confusing but it doesn't neccessarily mean the water is a grey color. Similarly, "black water" isn't really black, it actually refers to any water that cannot be re-used. You are right on with the dye, it is typically added to grey water so you can easily tell the difference between it and drinking water.

could a person live out of the house that is being constructed or was it just for meeting the criteria of the competition?

It was designed to house at least 2 people. If you were living in it long term the idea is that you would connect to the local power and water supply and then sell the excess power gained from the solar panels during the summer back to the power company. So yes, even though we aren't living in it during the competition someone could do so.
CVK

Can a self-sustaining house also have classical design?

I have read that once hydrogen fuel cell cars make it out to the market some will have power and water capabilities. Meaning that the fuel cell car could hook up to the house and power it. for I think almost a week. Since fuel cell cars also emit only water I have heard this can be used. Has this been researched at all for this house or a future project?

what was the total price tag on the project?

Sure I think a classical design can incorporate sustainable features. Historically buildings have used passive sustainable principals to create comfortable living environments in an age before central heating and air. It would also be interesting to see how one might incorporate recent sustainable technology into a classical design.

Alt energy cars are continually advancing, it would have been interesting to have the freedom to choose which car we used for the competition. However we were provided a specific model of electric car (basically a glorified golf cart) that every team uses to level the playing field. So the only research done was to identify which roads around D.C. provide the lowest% of grade change and fewest stops to maximize fuel efficiency.
The entire Solar D program has cost about $750,000. That includes the cost of the house plus all the other costs associated with the project. The house itself is estimated to cost about $300,000, but after the building materials that were donated and free student labor it cost us about $200,000 to build.
CVK

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1060 lectures last edited on 23 February 2008 at 4:38 pm by 128.61.176.48

gone home.