U of M to claim its place in the sun

By Judy Woodward

What's new under the sun? Students and faculty from the College of Design hope the answer will be beauty and functionality as they begin work on the University of Minnesota's entry in the prestigious Solar Decathlon.

The University was chosen by the U.S. Department of Energy as one of 20 finalists to compete in the 2009 Solar Decathlon, a contest to build and operate a house whose heating, cooling, and electricity are fully solar-powered. It's the first time a Minnesota team has been chosen to participate in the biennial contest begun in 2002.

The final product will be no bigger than 850 square-feet and will become part of an International Solar Village exhibit on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in the fall of 2009.

Lucas Alm (right) is teaching topics courses to architecture students resulting in the design, development, and construction of the architectural aspects of the solar house.

In the coming year, students from the College of Design, Institute of Technology, and the Construction Management Program of the College of Continuing Education will cooperate in all phases of the design, construction, and promotion of what they're calling the Minnesota Pioneer House.

Many of those involved think that the University's cross-disciplinary approach was the key to being chosen for the competition. Daniel Handeen, a research fellow at CDes's Center for Sustainable Building Research, is assistant project manager for the decathlon. "The U offered diversity and strength of resources to this project," he said. "There is such broad-based research in so many areas at the U."

CDes mentors for the U of M Solar Decathlon team: Jonee Kulman Brigham, CSBR; Lucas Alm, architecture; and Daniel Handeen, CSBR.

Adjunct Assistant Professor Lucas Alm of the School of Architecture is the faculty adviser and design/build manager for the student-run project. He noted that the University's entry will strive for a made-in-Minnesota quality, especially when it comes to adapting solar solutions to the notorious extremes of the region's climate. "People have been struggling with hot summers and cold winters," he pointed out. "Often you can design toward one and the other will suffer. But we're thinking holistically [for this project.]"

For Jonee Kulman Brigham, coprincipal investigator of the solar decathlon project and research coordinator with the Center for Sustainable Building Research, one of the chief goals of the project is getting out the message of sustainability. "I would like to see it...point the way forward to inspire and motivate public interest in solar housing," she said.

Minnesotans will get plenty of chances to look the house over. Plans call for it to be displayed on campus and at the State Fairgrounds before it's transported to Washington.

Meanwhile there's work to be done by the nearly 25 College of Design students involved in the project. For architecture grad student Shengyin Xu, who leads the architectural design team, the cross-disciplinary approach intensifies the educational value of the project. "We have to be able to synthesize these different viewpoints... [but] the ...benefit is the convergence of all these disciplines and academic fields in a project that... produces something real."

At the Solar Decathlon kick-off event Feb. 7 in Rapson Hall courtyard: Ann Johnson, PE, principal investigator for the Solar Decathlon, is faculty director of the U’s construction management degree program.

Hands-on education, an enhanced profile for solar energy, and a demonstration of the University's capacity to synthesize effective technology with elegant design -- the Solar Decathlon has something for everyone. But there's one other important benefit that can't be overlooked.

"I'm looking forward to fun," said Handeen. "Solving problems in the moment. Relying on each other's creativity. Making the decathlon a joyful process."

Learn more about the Solar Decathlon at www.solardecathlon.org and www.sua.umn.edu/groups/directory/show.php?id=2102.