Solar Face-Lift

October 28, 2011 by

 The Missouri S&T Solar Village has been around since 2002 when the first house came home from competition. Did you know? Not everyone in the Rolla community did either. The village has been a sort of “best kept secret” of S&T, and many lucky residents have called it home. However, throughout the years it has suffered much wear and tear. The Missouri S&T Solar House Team has transported every house to and from the National Mall in Washington D.C. Many house sections have been exposed to weathering that would not have been a concern if the home had been built stationary. All of those problems were solved last summer 2010 when the village underwent a face lift. 

Three Solar House team members along with Physical Facilities employees worked through the summer to get the village problems fixed. The exterior siding on the 09, 07, and 02 were replaced due to damage and wear-and-tear. In the 2007 house a lot of improvements were made. A new front door and a railing around the front and back porch were added. The photovoltaic array was rewired, the water pumps were fixed, and the roof was replaced.
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The 2009 house was in storage over the winter and suffered some damage due to weathering. The basement was poured for the house and it was moved to its final location as the last addition to the Solar Village. The interior floor was replaced, the solar thermal system and home automation systems were fixed, and the interior was repainted. In addition, the thermostat, heat pump, and electrical systems were all given a tune-up to make sure everything was running smoothly.  

As far as the Village exteriors, concrete was poured for the sidewalks connecting the houses. The grass and sprinkler systems were installed and all the houses were nicely landscaped with local plants. We even got a brand new sign to signify the Village as a part of the University and to make sure everyone knows what is is.

Now the Village is up and running with new tenants and a new place at the University. A variety of groups go on tours, professors conduct research, and the residents installed composting bins and a green house. Anyone who remembers the local “eye-sore” of the 2007 house water damage is sure to be amazed at the transformations that have occurred in the Missouri S&T Solar Village.


-Anna Osborne

Director of Public Relations

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