August 2006 Archives

UMR’s Solar House Team begins preparing for 2007

Students at the University of Missouri-Rolla are already preparing for the 2007 Solar Decathlon in Washington, D.C., and are busy building the beginnings of a solar village right here in town.

The UMR Solar House Team has designed and built houses for previous Solar Decathlon events, which are usually held every other year at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to raise awareness about solar energy. The 2007 competition will mark the third year for the event, with UMR having participated in the first two. UMR’s team placed ninth out of 14 in the first competition and seventh out of 18 in the second. The team’s goal is to place in the top five at next year’s competition. Read More...

Today we rewired the 2002 house to run the electric systems to the basement. The inverters, power point trackers, and batteries are all mounted and ready to be wired. Tomorrow the lights will be turned on!

Today the team placed almost all the roof sections on the 2005 house. Thanks to Thermocore of Missouri, we almost have it looking like a house finally... well from the outside.

The UMR Solar Village is under construction! The 2002 house has been placed on site and the 2005 will be moving on this weekend! Come out and watch us make these four pieces into one beautiful home!

Fortunately, the UMR Solar House Team builds its houses in easy-to-take-apart sections (well, relatively easy). Here, part of the house built for the 2002 Solar Decathlon awaits a transitioning to a new, permanent foundation. Read More...