Living Light Update: Team Works Toward Construction, Seeks Sponsors
July 07, 2010
Living Light, an interdisciplinary team at UT Knoxville, was accepted into the Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2011 competition. Here’s an update on the steps that group has taken to prepare for the imminent construction of their “off the grid” house.
During mini-term, a group of 10 architecture, engineering and graphic design students took a Solar Decathlon course creating design narratives for both the struc¬tural trailer and other systems to be used in the house. Following the class, the first step was hiring student workers for the summer months to maintain the momentum from the academic year. At the end of May, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) sponsored a group of students and the principal investigators on the project to travel to Washington, D.C. for the DOE’s Schematic Design Review. There they received detailed information necessary to construct the home within the competi¬tion guidelines and have any questions answered. The group returned energized and extremely excited about the task ahead.
Riding off the energy of their trip to Washington, D.C., the group focused on two main areas. The first, working with the graphic design students to develop a brand for the project. This will be used on all printed material as well as the team’s web¬site which is the next deliverable coming up in August. A promotional video was created from the documentation of the teams work throughout the spring semester. They also have begun a small publication about the design.
All other efforts have been concentrated on developing partnerships with companies and organizations who can supply the project with products and ex¬pertise needed during the construction process. Thus far, Blaine Construc¬tion has agreed to donate in-kind services up to $75,000, serving as the team’s contractor. Procore and Multivista made in-kind donations of their programs and services. Owens Corning also has committed to donate all fiberglass insulation used within the house. They will provide a monetary donation of $20,000 as well. The team is working closely with UT’s Devel¬opment Office in the pursuit of other funding opportunities.
The relationship with ORNL has only strengthened as the Living Light project progresses. Dr. Bill Miller of ORNL is currently teaching a course in mechanical engineering studying the thermal efficiency of the building envelope (roof, floor, and walls). Once a week, members of the engineer¬ing team visit the studio with Dr. Miller to give updates on their work this summer, running tests on energy use of the building. He also has taken a group of architecture and engineering students out to TVA and ORNL’s Zebra Alliance Houses in Oak Ridge on two different occasions. These homes test some of ORNL’s energy efficient technologies in marketable homes designed by Barber McMurry Architects. The team also has partnered with Delft University in the Netherlands for structural expertise and Finnish lighting designer Julle Oksanen.
There are several other projects in the works for Living Light as well. Electrical engineering Ph.D. candidate Bailu Xaio is working to create a schematic design for the cylindrical photovoltaic array (roof top solar power system). Dr. Stan Johnson is working with a team of mechanical engineering students to create the schematic design of the air-to-air heat pump (heating and cooling system). Professor Edgar Stach and a team of architecture students are working with world renowned German structural engineer Manfred Grohmann to design the transportable steel building skeleton (steel cage trailer frame with detachable hitch and axle components). Professor James Rose and a team of students from the College of Architecture and Design are working with local engineer Maurice Mallia to design an easily transportable deck, ramp, and landscape system.
The Solar Decathlon not only provides an invaluable educational experi¬ence to students and professionals involved with the project but also brings international exposure to the university. Thus far, 30 architecture students, 12 engineering students, and 6 graphic design students have worked on the project. They are collaborating with professionals across the globe to produce a single home which by design can be easily transport¬ed. Following the competition, the intention is for the home to tour the state educating people on energy efficient design for our climate. The design has already been used to educate the local Green Building Council on their design strategies. The team is looking into taking their design to Madrid, Spain, speaking to an even broader audience, for the European Solar Decathlon in 2012.
The support from the University of Tennessee, ORNL, and the Science Alli¬ance is critical to the success of Living Light in the Solar Decathlon and for that the team is incredibly grateful.
If you are interested in supporting the project or becoming a corporate sponsor of Living Light, e-mail livlight@utk.edu.
For more information about Living Light and the Solar Decathlon 2011, visit http://sd2011.utk.edu/.
The first Solar Decathlon was held in 2002; the competition has since occurred biennially in 2005, 2007 and 2009. The next event will take place in fall 2011. Open to the public and free of charge, the event takes place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Visitors can tour the houses and learn how energy-saving features can help them save money today. For more information on the Solar Decathlon competition, visit http://www.solardecathlon.gov/.
