Missouri University of Science and Technology

Smart Innovative Living Oasis (SILO), designed by the Missouri University of Science and Technology (S&T), placed fourth overall at the U.S. Department of Energy 2017 Solar Decathlon. The team earned third place in the Architecture, Innovation, and Appliances Contests.

After the Solar Decathlon, SILO remained at the event site in Denver. “We sold the house to the city of Denver,” faculty advisor Heath Pickerill said in the fall of 2018. “We were contacted recently that they are preparing to move the house to a permanent location, but I don’t know where that will be.”

The house will serve as moderate- to low-income housing through nonprofit organizations, according to the Rolla Daily News. SILO house was sold for $250,000. All proceeds went back to the solar house design team, the newspaper said. Student team members at the competition made the final decision to sell the house in hopes of supporting future team endeavors.

“The team plans to build a new structure at Missouri S&T instead of having the competition house returned, as in the past,” says Dr. Chris Ramsay, assistant vice provost for student design and experiential learning at Missouri S&T. “The team has been actively engaged in designing the new structure since we arrived back in Rolla after the decathlon.”