Sustainable and Resilient SURE HOUSE Wins the 2015 Solar Decathlon

By: | November 15th, 2015

Image courtesy Stevens Institute of Technology

Solar Decathlon is a nationwide contest held by the U.S. Department of Energy to build solar-powered houses that are eye-catching, cost-effective, and energy-efficient.

Stevens Institute of Technology’s SURE HOUSE or (sustainable + resilient) HOUSE, with their awesome design, took first place in this year’s Solar Decathlon competition.

The ultra-efficient design, along with the serious cost-effectiveness of this comfortable and beautiful beach house, made them the competition’s winners.

The SURE HOUSE is highly energy efficient:

  • With its dense insulation, rigorous air sealing, smart construction techniques, and high-performance windows, this incredible house exceeds Passive House standards.
  • The SURE HOUSE requires 90 percent less energy than a regular home.
  • This house is tough enough to be able to resist the worst impacts of high wind coastal storms such as hurricanes.
  • There is a public USB charging station outside the house for community use during emergencies.
  • A storm-rugged PV system supplies power without the use of batteries when the grid is down.
  • This house can provide emergency power to the neighborhood in the aftermath of a storm.

Nidhi Goyal

Nidhi is a gold medalist Post Graduate in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences.

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