UNCC used "Kalwalls," insulating panels that keep out the sun's heat while allowing in the sun's light.
Click drawing to view a larger image.
Solar Decathlon 2002
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Final Overall Points: 251.958
Final Overall Standing: 14
The house will be a permanent educational component of the university — a classroom that serves both architectural and engineering students and displays the evolving technologies of the living and building environment.—Dale Brentrup, faculty advisor
About the Home
We typically associate a yacht with wealth, luxury, and seagoing comfort. Most of us, though, would never have thought of using features found on a yacht in a house on land. But that's exactly what the University of North Carolina students did.
Faculty advisor Dale Brentrup says, "The choice of appliances has been an interesting experience for our electrical engineering and design students. The students evaluated where to get appliances that would reduce the overall load on the house. We wanted to stay away from 220 volt and minimize our conversion issues from PV's direct current to the alternating current needed for home appliances. We contacted and involved Equator, a marine supplier, in the project. We're using a front-loading washer and dryer and a compact dishwasher—all 120 volt. The stove, a small, 120-volt, three-burner model fits nicely into the island. The 120-volt convection oven comes from Seaward, another marine manufacturer."
About the Team
A small but very dedicated team of architects built this house. Student Erik Boyd summed up the experience by saying, "I was surprised at how detailed the drawings must be. The whole process was intellectually stimulating. I'm a fourth-year student, and I had never seen anything like this—continuing the process beyond the simple design."
Key Home Features
| Item | Specifics |
|---|---|
| PV kilowatts (standard test condition rating) | 4.80 |
| PV modules | 16 ASE 300 |
| Charge controllers | 2 Trace C60 |
| Inverters | Trace SW4024 |
| Battery bank | 800 ampere-hour, 24 volt |
| Battery type | 16 MK BA4D sealed absorbed glass mat |
| Water heating | 3 ft x 6 ft (0.9 m x 11.8 m) flat plate collector; 15-ton water source heat pump; 140-gal (530-L) storage tank |
| Construction | Structural insulated panels (SIPs); walls = R19 (RSI 3), roof = R40 (RSI 7) |
| Space heating | Passive solar |
| Space cooling | Water source heat pump, passive ventilation |
Manufacturers' Web Sites
- Kalwall Corporation
- RWE Schott Solar Systems (formerly ASE Americas; ASE modules)
- Xantrex (formerly Trace; Trace charge controllers)
- MK Battery
Source: These details have been adapted with permission from Home Power #94, April/May 2003
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