solar decathlon 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 7:00AM 
photo by jim tetro
The Solar Decathlon began in 2002 as an internationally-recognized biennial competition sponsored by the US Department of Energy to design, build and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar powered house.
20 university teams from around the world compete in 10 different contests including: architecture, engineering, energy performance, interior design, and lighting. Houses are constructed at the universities, then disassembled and transported to Washington D.C. for exhibition and final judging.
Collaboration among students from different academic disciplines is fostered during all phases of the competition including architecture and engineering students, who rarely work together until they enter the workplace.
A “whole building design” approach differs from the traditional “design then build” process because the design team considers the interactions of all building components and systems to create a more comfortable energy efficient home with reduced environmental impact.
photo by jim tetro
CB2 is proud to have partnered with the University of Illinois team, who designed and built Gable House shown above, by contributing furniture and accessories.
Some of the eco-friendly items used were the annex sectional, chosen for its sustainable frame and cushions. The darjeeling table and the gear tealights carried an industrial element into the dining room. Bamboo towels, cirrus rug, and Ecogen bath accessories accented the bathroom; and organic sheets, a sardinia duvet, and FLOR tiles were used in the bedroom.
photo by jim tetro
photo by jim tetro
Final judging took place October 15th and the team took 2nd Place—Congratulations to all!
Imagine, it all started with materials reclaimed from this old barn. Were you one of the thousands at the National Mall in DC? Would you like to share the experience?
Reader Comments (2)
I was not there, but my school, California College of the Arts, had teamed up with Santa Clara University to design a house for this competition. Good job everyone!
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