Earlier this month, the United States Department of Energy sponsored its second Solar Decathlon competition. From September 29 to October 16 on the Washington D.C. National Mall, several teams of university students showed off their solar-powered homes. One of these teams was Pittsburgh Synergy, consisting of students from Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pittsburgh, and The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, with consulting help from the Technical University of Darmstadt in Germany. Pittsburgh Synergy's sponsors included Ford Motor Company, Bayer Inc., ALCOA, and Moen. The ultimate goal of the Solar Decathlon competition is to allow some of America's brightest interdisciplinary students to design, create, and build a self-sustaining, energy-efficient house by capturing power from the sun. (See, Harnessing the Power of the Sun.)

Carnegie Mellon sent twelve students to D.C. to construct the house, give tours, and deconstruct. Pittsburgh Synergy placed 10 out of 18 universities in the competition, including Cornell University, the University of Puerto Rico, the New York Institute of Technology, and the University of Michigan. Colorado University took home the top honors.

Pittsburgh Synergy's house's most intriguing design feature is its slanted roof which tilts 12 degrees to the south, allowing for optimal sunlight absorption and improved water drainage. It also adds depth to the interior of the house. The south side of the house holds the living and office spaces and is equipped with a glass wall to let in natural sunlight.

Some of the houses that particularly stood out and drew the largest crowds were those built by Cornell University, Florida International University, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). Cornell University's house had an inviting exterior with a vegetable garden and outdoor living space with grass mounds designed to resemble a loveseat, couch, and recliner. Florida International's stunning design of glass-lined exterior walls, white surfaces, cube-shaped architecture, and flowing spaces opened up the space between the exterior and interior areas. Virginia Tech used lighting to its advantage. The south, east, and west walls were made of translucent material with internal motorized shades to keep out unwanted daytime heat and allow for privacy. The internal walls were made of a polycarbonate with lights installed at the bottom. The lights illuminating upwards glowed and provided light during the night and cloudy days.

Pittsburgh Synergy and many other Solar Decathlon houses used state-of-the-art appliances such as the induction stovetop and the one-step washer. The induction stovetop can be up to 90 percent energy-efficient (compared to electric stovetops at 47 percent energy-efficient) and is completely safe if left on or touched. It uses the power of ferromagnetics to induce heat in cooking pans and, as a result, the actual stove surface never heats up. The one-step washer allows the user to put dirty clothes in one machine and have the machine wash and dry the clothing in one compartment. The user does not need to transfer clothing from washer to dryer. The one-step washer uses less water and electricity than other machines.

Much of the furniture throughout all of the houses in the competition was multi-purpose, such as a chair that could be folded into a coffee table or a kitchen table and had removable surfaces that doubled as large cutting boards. Many of the bathrooms were equipped with an open shower in which the shower floor was flush with the bathroom floor and was part of the open space of the room.

On October 8, New House and Mudge House organized a bus trip for approximately 50 students and staff members to go see the houses in Washington D.C. The Steinbrenner Institute for Environmental Education and Research and the Student Dormitory Council sponsored the trip. Unfortunately, the day of the trip and nine days of the competition were riddled with thunderstorms and perpetual cloudy skies.

Regrettably, the bad weather highlighted Pittsburgh Synergy's largest weakness: the house only had 12 batteries versus competing houses' 30 or more. Pittsburgh Synergy installed a minimal number of batteries because the house is planned for future use on Carnegie Mellon's campus and will be connected to the main energy grid, allowing for an annual zero energy quota. The batteries are designed to last for four cloudy days and normally only need a few hours of sunlight to completely recharge. However, there was barely any sun during the week of the competition. By the end of the week-long competition, Pittsburgh Synergy's batteries had run low so there was little to no power left for use. 

The categories that comprised the judging in the Decathlon were: architecture, dwelling, documentation, communications, comfort zone, appliances, hot water, lighting, energy balance, and getting around. Pittsburgh Synergy received its highest rankings for architecture, dwelling, and energy balance, in which it received fourth place. The team received tenth overall.

To learn more about renewable energy and the Solar Decathlon competition, visit Pittsburgh Synergy or the Department of Energy online.

	story images

Although the sun has set, work still goes on at Pittsburgh Synergy's solar-powered house.	One student stops to observe the construction progress of the Pittsburgh Synergy house in Donner Ditch.
As part of the final stages of construction in Donner Ditch, students add a reflective wall to the front of the Pittsburgh Synergy house.	Pittsburgh Synergy members work hard on their house as the deadline for the move to Washington D.C. looms.
Inside Pittsburgh Synergy's house's bathroom, the wooden shower floor is flush with the rest of the bathroom floor.	Pittsburgh Synergy's house's bedroom is a cozy space to come home to.
In Pittsburgh Synergy's house's living room, visitors can relax and read up on the team and environmental friendliness.	The patio attached to Pittsburgh Synergy's house is more inviting than the muddy grounds of the National Mall.
Pittsburgh Synergy's house goes on display on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

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