UHM's Team Hawaii talks about their design for a net-zero home that will be built and entered into the international Solar Decathlon. Slides from the REIS seminar series at the University of Hawaii at Manoa on 2010-10-21.
1. Team Hawaii
U.S. Department of Energy
| College of Engineering
| School of Architecture
| College of Engineering
| College of Engineering
Justin Carland, Project Manager
David Cook, Project Engineer
Tyler Phillips, Mechanical Engineer
Ryan Nakamitsu, Mechanical Team
11. 11
Solar Decathlon : 10 Competitions
1. Architecture
2. Market Appeal
3. Engineering
4. Communications
5. Affordability
6. Comfort Zone
7. Hot Water
8. Appliances
9. Home Entertainment
10. Energy Balance
12. Solutions forTropical Housing
Blends with natural
environment
Provides natural
daylight
Indoor/outdoor living
spaces
Minimal materials
required
No heating or cooling
required
“Off the Grid”
12
35. 35
Phase Change Material (PCM)
- a substance with a high heat of fusion which, melting and
solidifying at a certain temperature, is capable of storing and
releasing large amounts of energy. Heat is absorbed or
released when the material changes from solid to liquid and
vice versa; thus, PCMs are classified as latent heat storage
units.
Cooling load: 620,000 BTU
United States
Belgium
Canada
China
New Zealand
China
The website is actually part of the overall event: it’s part of the “Communications” Contest – and there are 9 others which are also judged.. Hence, “DECATHLON”
The team with the most points, out of 1,000 possible points, at the end of the competition wins.
The winning team produces a house that:
• Is cost-effective, attractive, and easy to live in
• Maintains comfortable and healthy indoor environmental conditions
• Supplies energy to household appliances for cooking, cleaning, and entertainment
• Provides adequate hot water
• Balances energy production and consumption.
Undulating tubular section for maximizing daylighting and directing passive ventilation; the interior envelop is also activated with a sense of spatial drama, such that the lower ceiling promotes a feeling of intimacy and comfort, whereas the lofted ceiling allows for more open, aspirational quality; the floor level is in fact smooth and constant, a condition prescribed by the competition rules (all public circulation paths must be ADA compliant)
Natural daylighting
“Lives” easily with natural environment
Employs indoor/outdoor living spaces
Minimum materials
No heating or cooling required
Independent of an oil-dependent electrical grid
Materials
Termites
Rot
Mold
Corrosion
Structure
High winds
Rainstorms
Flooding (floatable)
General circulation description:
Enter along promenade ramp, and repose in the shaded sitting deck;
A foreshortened porch indicates the entry door, which is a track-mounted pivotable glass assembly with thermally-broken aluminum frame
The largest space is the living / dining area, with open access to the
Prefabricated kitchen / service module, which shares a plumbing wall with the bathroom facilities;
We anticipate this module to be assemebled from two parts, using stainless steel
For a long time, we studied the possibility of fabricating a monocoque shell-structure;
Is everyone familiar with what a monocoque is? It’s a essentially where the structure and form are basically one and the same, similar to the fuselage of an aircraft, or a racing shell in competitve rowing; the advantages being structural rigidity, combined with lightweight materials (factors which translate to benefits in transportation and handling costs, speed and ease of contruction, and the most efficient use of materials.
In consultation with several firms, including Arup, the international engineering firm, and Kreysler, a composites manufacturing company, we arrived at
Virginia clematis
Take advantage of the nitrogen cycle to create a nearly closed ecosystem. Could potentially create fish fruit and vegetables for eating. In our house, the hydroponics will be only for fresh air generation.
There are 3 globally available and difficult to kill house plants that can grow all the fresh air you need. This will allow us to recirculate most of the air internally to the house instead of pulling air in from the outside and reconditioning it. The hope is to increase the thermal efficiency of the house’s heating cooling and humidity systems.
Natural daylighting
“Lives” easily with natural environment
Employs indoor/outdoor living spaces
Minimum materials
No heating or cooling required
Independent of an oil-dependent electrical grid
Materials
Termites
Rot
Mold
Corrosion
Structure
High winds
Rainstorms
Flooding (floatable)