High praise, indeed, from a member of the solar house team that took 3rd place in the 2005 Solar Decathlon. We won’t mention the name of the well-known school, but it’s fabeled location is "Far Above Cayuga’s Waters". Regardless, we think you’ll agree that soon-to-be Missouri S&T’s stunning interior design would impress any stylish interior decorator, even this writer’s lovely wife.
UMR’s Solar House Team has long held that the Solar Decathlon is more than just about building a solar powered house, but more about designing and building an amazing energy-efficient house that also just HAPPENS to get all it power from the sun. And especially an efficient, solar-powered house that people would actually want to LIVE in. Don’t believe us? How about UMR’s Solar Village, where our ’02 and ’05 house now serve as very popular student residences. Still don’t believe us? Why not visit the houses for yourself. We’d love to give you a tour.
Anyway, the previous Solar Decathlons had a very strong architectural perspective, and considering that most entries were designed more by architecture students than engineers UMR more than held its own, so much so that UMR’s 05 house was featured in Popular Mechanics magazine a few months later, and honored by the D-I-Y Cable channel as well. And we expect similar kudos for our really cool 07 house when the dust (er, judging) settles. Not bad for engineers, eh?
Stay tuned for more cool stuff from the nation’s capital.
WOW!This Is Not A Solar House, This Is A Solar HOME!!!
October 12, 2007 by
I think Cayuga Cucumbers came in 2nd in 2005, didn’t they?
I’m not a participant, just an avid fan. I like the Craftsman look interiors of your houses, especially last year’s. Too traditional for the judges? Maybe you should go a little more rad for the next contest.
This year, I don’t think the various colors of woods blend quite so well. And take your eye from left to right along the kitchen cabinets; kind of clunky looking, no? I mean the design of it and the line. A little bit too heavy with the dark browns?
Look at an interior like Maryland’s and there’s such harmony and proportion in everything. Some of it may not even be as practical as yours, but it is so nice to look at.
Then again, I didn’t tour the homes for real. Don’t feel too bad about your low placement…imagine how the over achievers at MIT feel.
Anyway, to me, all the teams are part of something that is much more important than any football game, or Osprey V-22. Hopefully, you’ll look back and think of yourselves as pioneers in a growing movement to save the planet.
Thanks for the comments Herbert. We thought the judges would love our more modern design of the exterior and the more livable interior. As it turns out the Architecture judges did not really care for that. We several positive comments about how they like our livable interiors, on both the ’05 and the ’07 houses.
I think I can speak for everyone when we are proud to say that we are making a real contribution to saving the world because in the end we will all be winners (though it would be great to have the bragging rights).
Where are you from? If you haven’t/won’t have a chance to tour the house in D.C. we would love to have you and anyone else come tour the house when it is rebuilt in our solar village in Rolla, MO.
Interior design speaks a lot about a home and change in it give a different dimension to the look of the house.
Interior design speaks a lot about a home and change in it give a different dimension to the look of the house.
Hi I was wondering If there is any way that a student could actually live in one of the solar house’s for a semester or longer?
Keith, that is a great question. I will make a post about living in the Solar Village.