overview > our vision

Creating a Home

The word home is synonymous with stability and safety; it is a self-contained escape from an unpredictable and often demanding world. The Solar Decathlon project extends this cultural metaphor into the physical world by exploring the possibilities of creating a comfortable home that is a self-contained escape from society’s current reliance on sometimes unpredictable and costly non-renewable energy sources. Specifically, we seek to capture, for home use, the abundant yet elusive power of the sun.

Creating a Family

To design and construct our solar home we brought together a family of students and faculty from a broad range of disciplines. Our goal has been to maintain the metaphorical integrity of the home, by providing a comfortable haven from the outside world.

Our diverse family has shared ideas, learned from one another, and worked hard to create a home that works with the natural environment, and, when necessary, uses the energy from the sun to ensure that our home remains comfortable – no matter what the weather.