Eco Homes: BAC and Tufts University students ready Curio house for Solar Decathlon

Anupam JollySep 23 2009

Eco Factor: Prototype house generates more solar energy than it consumes.

curio house 1

Students from the Boston Architectural College (BAC) and Tufts University have completed their green home for the upcoming Solar Decathlon competition, which will be one of 20 designs competing for the title. Dubbed Curio, the design has been made considering its market viability and the availability of the systems which it uses.

curio house 2

Unlike many house designs that can only be made available only after five to ten years, the Curio House is equipped with common systems that are available on the market at present. The $200,000 house is equipped with 28 top range SunPower PV panels that generate a whopping 6.4KW of power, which is much more than a home of same size would need if connected to the grid.

curio house 3

During the competition the house must run for 10 days off the grid and a number of jobs must be completed, such as washing 10 loads of laundry and a movie night featuring the home’s entertainment system. Batteries fed by the solar panels produce enough power to keep the home and its system functioning during nighttime and overcast days.

curio house 4

The well insulated home features energy-efficient appliances and lighting system that reduce the load on the solar panels. In addition to this, the Curio House also features south-facing blinds that can be adjusted to let in sunlight and heat.