Appalachian State University Harnesses the Sun

Appalachian State University Harnesses the Sun

The earliest settlers of the Appalachian Mountains would have never imagined a house in their beloved hilly landscape like the model pictured below. But it’s likely that the mountaineers of yesteryear would be proud of the home’s ingenuity and wise use of resources. The hardworking mountain pioneers and an ingenious group of current High Country dwellers have several very important things in common: commitment to prudent construction by making the best use of available materials, gently drawing on the free gifts of nature in order to meet the needs of everyday life, and the adoption of a self-sufficient lifestyle with low impact on the resources around them.

Welcome to the mountain house of the 21st century – The Solar Homestead.

This impressive house will boast many things that our homes cannot. The Solar Homestead is almost entirely built by Appalachian State University students. Most impressively, the Homestead has all the electrical capabilities that our homes do, but it will never receive an electric bill… never. The power is in the name: The Solar Homestead… the house is powered by the grandest of free resources, the sun.

The Appalachian State University team was selected with an elite group of twenty other collegiate teams across the world to compete in the Solar Decathlon 2011. The U.S. Department of Energy challenged these teams to “design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency.” September 23rd through October 2nd the competing homes will find their temporary resting place on America’s “front yard” – The National Mall.

The ASU team has met the U.S. Department of Energy’s challenge in a unique way by incorporating the homesteading practices of the early mountaineers. Their creation of the home’s “Great Porch” not only provides maximum space for the implementation of bi-facial solar panels, but, as we all know, every great southern home boasts a spacious porch for family and friends to gather. The Great Porch’s clever design is energy efficient, aesthetically pleasing, and socially inviting in equal measure.

Another impressive example of traditional homesteading practices is the team’s use of local poplar bark on a portion of the home’s exterior, locust wood and white oak flooring on the interior, as well as furniture made of salvaged wood. Incorporation of these materials further illustrates the Solar Homestead team’s commitment to making best use of mountain resources with low impact to the environment.

Many other Solar Decathlon 2011 teams have heavily relied on contractors and professionals to assist in the creation of their homes. However, the Appalachian State University team can boast nearly 100% student ingenuity without the assistance of outside architects, engineers, and designers. It has been an extremely challenging, yet deeply rewarding undertaking for students. Janelle Wienke, a recent graduate of ASU and the Outreach Coordinator of the project said, “Working on the Solar Homestead has been the capstone of my education at Appalachian State University. It’s provided me with an invaluable real world application by incorporating many different disciplines in order to complete a project.” David Hall, CEO of Deltec Homes in Asheville boasted, "It’s just amazing to us... the forward-thinking, the innovation, the passion and the energy of all the students involved [are] very contagious. I think [the students] are developing a lot of knowledge about what the next best house will look like."

You have the opportunity to tour this spectacular home and cheer on our friends at Appalachian State University on two occasions before the home travels to the Solar Decathlon 2011 in Washington, D.C. Public tours will be held on Wednesday, August 17th at 4 and 6 pm. The final day of touring is Saturday, August 27th at 10 am, noon, 2 and 4 pm. If you would like to send a housewarming gift to The Solar Homestead, click HERE and select an item from any of their three registries.