Editor’s Note: This entry has been cross-posted from DOE’s Energy Blog.

In honor of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon—which challenges collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive—we are profiling each of the teams participating in the competition.

The Re_home is nearing completion. (Courtesy of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Solar Decathlon team)

For this year’s Solar Decathlon, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is returning to the National Mall with the Re_home, which offers a more sustainable housing solution for communities following a natural disaster. According to the team—which is aiming for balance between good design and smart planning—the Re_home responds to the physical and emotional needs of displaced families while demonstrating the ways environmentally aware living can be incorporated into a community-led recovery effort.

According to the Illinois team, what makes the Re_home different from previous disaster relief housing is the flexibility of the design. The Re_home is more adaptable to the various lifestyles of disaster victims than the typical mobile home-style trailer used in today’s disaster relief efforts. The Re_home offers an efficient and open floor plan that accommodates the various needs of many users. The floor plan was designed around one open area for public spaces and another area enclosed for private spaces, which encourages an open interaction between both interior and exterior spaces. This “flex space” allows the house to transition between a one- and two-bedroom home and also gives occupants several ways to customize the space.

This rapid-response solution for families affected by natural disasters uses low-cost materials and a straightforward construction plan, and the Re_home’s modular design allows it to be transported via trailer in two segments and erected quickly onsite. Its well-organized interior spaces; centralized, efficient appliances; and ease of transport and construction make this solar-powered house a great ready-to-deploy option for families as they rebuild after a disaster.   

If disaster strikes, the house can be mobilized quickly to its new location and assembled within several hours to effectively shelter a family of four. The house is sealed by an insulated, double-layered building envelope that minimizes the transfer of heat and cold between the interior and exterior and drastically reduces its energy needs. That means the house becomes a livable space the day it arrives, providing new shelter for disaster victims.

In the following days, the rest of the house can be assembled by members of the community. The solar panels can be directed for appropriate sunlight angles—generating immediate electricity—a critical issue for those affected by natural disasters when power might not be restored or available for many days or weeks. The Re_home is also loaded with all-electric appliances, including a combination washer-dryer, refrigerator, dishwasher, and a combination oven-grill-steamer.

Coming from Illinois, a state centrally located in a tornado-prone region, the Illinois team hopes to be able to put its entry to use after the competition, which will take place on the National Mall’s West Potomac Park this fall. The Re_home could be offered to a family displaced by a tornado or other weather disaster, many of which roll through the state throughout the spring and early summer months every year.

For more information about the Re_home, visit the team’s website and blog.

April Saylor is an online content producer and contractor to the Department of Energy Office of Public Affairs.

Editor’s Note: This entry has been cross-posted from DOE’s Energy Blog.

In honor of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon—which challenges collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive—we are profiling each of the teams participating in the competition.

It’s a tale of two universities with a vision for one historic city. Students from both Hampton and Old Dominion universities have joined forces to compete in the upcoming U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon with their entry, called Unit 6 Unplugged.  As Tidewater Virginia, the students will unveil their vision for the future —an energy-efficient house that captures the “Arts and Crafts” design style of homes dotted throughout historic Norfolk, Virginia.

One of the team’s key design features is the transitional sunspace. During the warmer months, the sunspace acts as an exterior porch—motorized windows open up to let air and sunlight filter in. During colder months, the sunspace transitions into an enclosed space that functions as a heat sink—the floor absorbs heat and disperses it throughout the house overnight.

As with other Solar Decathlon entries, the house incorporates renewable energy.  A photovoltaic array is integrated into the sloped roof—and with an efficiency of more than 18%, the panels act as the main power source. In addition, light switches powered by remote transmitters can be placed anywhere in the house and never require replacement batteries. A separate mechanical core stores the house’s mechanical system in one centralized place, keeping waste heat and noise outside the main living quarters and allowing easy maintenance access.

Post-competition, Unit 6 Unplugged will return to Norfolk, where it will serve as a design studio shared by architecture and engineering students from both schools. This will continue the interdisciplinary collaboration fostered by Solar Decathlon 2011.

Erin Pierce is an energy technology program specialist at the Department of Energy.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that the Department of Energy is considering offers for a new site for Solar Decathlon 2013. The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is a competition that challenges collegiate students from across the globe to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are affordable, highly energy efficient, attractive, and easy to live in. For the first time, in an effort to expand the excitement generated by the competition and encourage participation from new communities, the Department is inviting venues across the nation to compete for the opportunity to host this award-winning event. The Solar Decathlon has attracted thousands of people to experience first-hand the benefits of homes that incorporate clean energy technologies, and, as a collegiate competition, supports the Obama Administration’s comprehensive efforts to build a 21st century clean energy economy by helping to train the next-generation of American engineers and architects.

“The Solar Decathlon challenges the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs to become pioneers of clean energy technology and efficient building design,” said Secretary Chu.  “This is a great opportunity for these talented students to showcase cutting edge technologies that will change the way we build homes and save families money.”

The Solar Decathlon provides participating students with unique training to enter our Nation’s clean energy workforce. As part of the Obama Administration’s larger goal to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and maintain a highly skilled and knowledgeable workforce, DOE creates and supports initiatives that engage students to learn about energy technologies and issues. The Solar Decathlon is one such workforce development program designed to educate and train university-level students who will build their careers in the clean energy sector. The contest also fosters greater adoption of clean energy technologies and energy efficient construction techniques that help America compete in the global marketplace.

The Solar Decathlon has been held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. since 2002.  The competition and public demonstration has been very successful in showcasing energy efficient housing and clean energy technologies in the metropolitan Washington area. The solicitation announced today will allow DOE to consider a new venue to host Solar Decathlon 2013. For more detailed information on the solicitation, click here and search for reference number DE-SOL-0003159.

Solar Decathlon 2011 will take place at the National Mall’s West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C., September 23 through October 2, 2011. This year’s competition will be the Department’s fifth Solar Decathlon; previous events were held in 2002, 2005, 2007, and 2009.  Open to the public free of charge, the Solar Decathlon enables visitors to tour the houses and learn about money-saving clean-energy solutions for their own homes.