The University at Buffalo (UB) team placed second overall in the national U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon. The team has been hard at work for over two years, fundraising and planning to make this ultra-sustainable home a reality.
Second place overall winners is University at Buffalo, The State University of New York at their house at the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2015, October 17, 2015 at the Orange County Great Park, Irvine, California (Credit: Thomas Kelsey/U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon)
The UB team finished with 941.191 points out of a possible 1,000 for the GRoW (Garden, Relax or Work) Home. Stevens Institute of Technology, hailing from Hoboken, New Jersey, took first place with 950.685. Cal State Polytechnic University was a distant third at 910 points.
PV arrays for University at Buffalo, The State University of New York at the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2015 at the Orange County Great Park, Irvine, California (Credit: Thomas Kelsey/U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon)
CannonDesign joined many of our local client-partners to support the UB solar decathlon team over the years. At last year’s Environmental Awareness Week, Bob Shibley, dean of UB’s School of Architecture and Planning, was our local speaker in the Buffalo office. The funds we raised through our sponsors last year were donated to the solar decathlon’s expenses at the competition.
Bob Shibley at CannonDesign’s Environmental Awareness Week. Proceeds from this talk went to the solar decathlon team.
In the spring of this year, the solar decathlon team also met with our CannonDesign interiors group for a brainstorming and consultation meeting. They discussed building material, space planning, and design concepts particularly for the kitchen and bedroom. Additionally, several CannonDesigners were involved as students prior to joining the firm.
Nate Heckman (center) of University at Buffalo, The State University of New York gives a tour of the GRoWlarium, which utilizes a solarium and a green house into the living quarters of their home at the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon at the Orange County Great Park, Irvine, California Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015. (Credit: Thomas Kelsey/U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon)
This competition has been instrumental in training the next leaders in sustainable design and they should be extremely proud of their accomplishments.
Learn more about our Environmental Awareness Week 2015 Events Here >