September 15, 2005
MEDIA ADVISORY
Contact: College of Architecture and Environmental Design
Sandra Stannard
(805) 756-2076
Robert Peña
(805) 756-5207
Competition Web site: http://solardecathlon.calpoly.edu
California’s Solar Decathlon House
Leaves Cal Poly Sept. 19
for National Competition in D.C.
What: California’s only solar-powered house entered in the 2005 Solar Decathlon is being prepared by Cal Poly students and faculty to be transported by truck to Washington, D.C., to participate in the competition on the National Mall. The media is invited to see the Solar Cal Poly team put the finishing touches on the entry. The contest is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
When: The final media tour and photo opportunity before the house is shipped is Monday, Sept. 19, 10 to 11 a.m.
Where: From Highway 1 in San Luis Obispo, enter campus on Highland Drive and turn left on Mt. Bishop Road before reaching the main core of the campus. The house is located on a softball practice field on the left side of the road behind the Cal Poly Foundation Warehouse, which is across the street from the Dairy Unit.
Who: Over the last two years, more than 100 Cal Poly students from numerous departments have worked on the project, along with architecture and engineering faculty.
Why: The Cal Poly team entered the contest to raise public awareness about the need for energy conservation.
Competition Details: The solar house and electric car will be set up after arriving in the Capitol over a five-day period. The solar village and competition opens to the public from Oct. 7-16, with the exception of Oct. 12, when the homes are closed for judging. The overall winner will be announced Oct. 14. The solar home is scheduled to return to San Luis Obispo in late October to the College of Architecture and Environmental Design for on-going educational use.
Overview: The interdisciplinary student/faculty team is finalizing the construction and testing of the 650-square-foot home. The design relates to some very specific challenges presented by the competition, including transportation across the country and the limited set-up time in Washington, D.C. The long travel distance and the team’s desire to minimize the use of fossil fuel spurred a “one truck” solution. The result is a simple structure that can be pulled by a single semi tractor/trailer. The team used pre-fab construction not only to minimize construction logistics on the Mall, but the pre-fab prototype could serve as a useful example of environmentally conscious alternative housing, particularly in the state of California and in post-disaster zones where traditional energy sources are not immediately available.
For more information about the 2005 Solar Decathlon, see http://www.eere.energy.gov/solar decathlon/.
For additional information, links to the products used and photos and a video of the home under construction, visit the Solar Cal Poly team Web site: http://www.solardecathlon.calpoly.edu. Web-cam coverage may be available on the homepage during the competition.
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