 "Photo: Photo courtesy of University Relations")
Since early 2006, University of Cincinnati students from the Colleges of Business, Engineering and Design, Architecture, Art and Planning are working on an innovative solar house design to enter into the annual International Solar Decathlon competition.
Monday, April 16, more than 200 UC students held a groundbreaking ceremony for the house outside of Braunstein Hall. UC President Nancy Zimpher, Vice President of Research at UC Sandra Degan and Governor Ted Strickland's Southwest regional representative Brewster Rhoades spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony.
According to Zimpher, UC is the only school in Ohio participating in the competition. UC is one of 20 design teams represented at the competition.
"This competition gives us an opportunity to show that UC has sustainability and that we are making a strong effort to improve the environment," fourth-year business student Brian Myers said. "I enjoy the collaboration of majors that this project entailed. I'm really glad to have been a part of it."
According to Myers, UC business students helped out with the planning cost of the solar house, the budgeting, the economic forecast and even the smaller construction work.
The house is going to be built on a mobile trailer and have a trailer-like style to it. The plans call for the house to be fully equipped with soy insulated wall panels, low energy appliances and lights, hot water storage tanks, solar PV (photo voltaic) panels and an outdoor room.
The project has garnered sponsorship from local companies. A total of 12 corporations are sponsoring the project including P&G, The Whirlpool Co., and the Pella Co., along with more than 20 individual sponsors.
"Behind the scene work is important also, providing the means so that the students can bring their creations to life is also an important aspect of the house building process. This is the students' creation so we just let them do what they do best," Degan said.
Student volunteers are donating their time to the environmentally friendly project.
"I knew about the project from watching the Discovery Channel," said Doug Heard, research associate of Engineering. "When I found out it was coming to UC I knew I wanted to be involved and wanted to help out. Since I worked at the shop where their parts for the house were coming from, I was very eager and excited to assist."
The Solar Decathlon takes place Oct. 12 to Oct. 20 at the National Mall located in Washington, D.C. All 20 teams selected to participate in the event are competing in 10 different categories to determine the winner.
The 10 categories are Architecture, Engineering, Market Viability, Communications, Comfort Zone, Appliances, Hot Water, Lighting, Energy Balance and Getting Around.
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