This is the GRoW Home under construction at the University of Buffalo, the school’s entry in the U.S. Department of Energy’s solar decathlon.
"It’s a competition that the U.S. Department of Energy hosts to show the public what can be done with solar power innovation and how it can be used for a more sustainable home design," said Amanda Munford, GRoW Buffalo public relations.
One of the innovations in this 1,100 square foot solar powered home is how the walls are constructed.
"Traditional construction is with 2x4s but these are complete panels so it has the structure, the insulation and everything in one including the electrical units. When you have panelized systems you have less joints and when you have less joints you have less air leaking and higher thermal properties," said Matthew Kreidler, UB Architecture graduate student.
This means it will take less energy to heat and cool the home.
Designing and now building the GRoW home has taken two years
"We started the design on this house in 2013 in the spring semester with a group of students in a seminar class dreaming up ideas of what a solar house in Buffalo could be like. Since then we’ve moved it through a series of internships and classes both in and out of the curricula structure some as volunteers, some as students and it’s involved over 140 students from 13 departments at UB and also our sister school of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, part of the SUNY system," said Martha Bohm, UB Architecture Assistant Professor.
17 schools are in the competition, which will be held October 8th in Irvine, California.