Re_home construction underway on Illinois campus

Since the Re_home’s arrival on campus almost one month ago, construction has progressed quickly.  First, students installed super-insulated panels on the entire exterior of the shell.  The panels add an additional 4 inches of insulation to the frame constructed at Homeway Homes.  In addition, substantial progress has been made on waterproofing, window and door detailing, and deck construction.  This week, the team began staining the deck modules and planters.  The next steps for Team Illinois include staining and installation of siding, installation of the HVAC system, and beginning interior finishing such as the floor and cabinetry.  Check out our photo gallery for up to date pictures of construction.

Re_home arrives on Illinois campus

The Re_home will arrive on campus this Tuesday, May 17.  The same construction site will be used for the Re_home as was used for Team Illinois’ 2009 Gable Home.  The site is just southeast of the south quad on the Urbana campus.

Construction began at Homeway Homes, a modular home manufacturer in Peoria, IL, where the shell of the home was completed.  On Tuesday morning, the home will be shipped to the construction site where a group of 20 students will finish construction in preparation for the Solar Decathlon competition this September.  Students will install insulation panels, siding, interior finishes, and the PV array in the coming months.  Check back soon for updated pictures of the home’s arrival and construction progress!

Re_home display at the Museum of Science and Industry

This week, information about the Re_home will be on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.  The display is part of Money Smart Week which is a week-long event that provides free classes and activities designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances.  This year, the Museum of Science and Industry’s display for Money Smart Week will focus on the financial benefits of “Going Green”.  The event will encourage visitors to learn about solar technologies, try eco-friendly activities, and learn about local entrepreneurs and their green businesses.  For more information about the event, visit http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/events/go-green-money-smart-week/.

Go Green on Green Street

Today Team Illinois promoted the Re_home project at the “Go Green on Green Street” event in Champaign.  The event was organized by Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) and the Illinois Green Business Association (IGBA) in order to raise awareness of sustainability in the community.  Over 30 informational booths were setup near the Alma Mater on campus in order to educate the community about sustainable practices and opportunities to get involved with numerous sustainability-focused clubs and projects like the Solar Decathlon.  The event had a large turnout including students, professors, community members, and campus visitors.  Team Illinois was able to promote the Re_home project, educate people about the Solar Decathlon, and answer questions about sustainable technologies and the Re_home design.  ”Go Green on Green Street” was a great promotional opportunity for Team Illinois and allowed us to spread the word about the exciting months ahead.

Visit http://www.gogreenongreen.com/ to learn more about the event!

Conditioning energy recovery ventilator mock-up is making progress

The students working on the HVAC system for the Re_home are mocking up the conditioning energy recovery ventilator in the full size building model.  This is a forced air distribution system and so they have the challenge of getting all the ducting routes established so as not to interfere with other appliances and systems like the water heater, washing machine, and plumbing vents.  Their goal is to do all of this while still trying to minimize pressure losses in the ducts to allow the system to run as efficiently as possible.  Keep up the good work team.

Deck and footing fabrication is under way

The architecture studio is making great progress!  In the last few weeks, architecture students have begun fabrication of footings and deck modules.  About seventeen footings have been completed with only a few more left to go.  In addition, the framework for eight deck modules is complete along with a mock-up of a planter to be used on the Re_home’s exterior.  Great work from the architecture studio!

Wood salvaged for use on the Re_home

Recently, a wood fence was salvaged from a University of Illinois professor’s home to be used for the construction of planters and benches for the Re_home.  Team Illinois is really excited about the opportunity to Re_use these materials.  Students retrieved and disassembled the fence to prepare for its use in construction.  The team is still finalizing the planter and bench design, but will begin construction on these features soon using the salvaged wood.

Team Pizza Party!

Team Illinois enjoyed a group pizza party on February 23.  The pizza gathering allowed students involved in various aspects of the project to meet face to face to discuss the progress of the project.  Students from the Solar Decathlon engineering and architecture classes shared their most recent ideas, and the team was able to view the architecture studio’s progress with mock-ups including a mock-up of a planter unit.  The pizza party was a great success and brought our large team of students together for a fun evening.

Solar Decathlon, Team Illinois at the International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando, Florida

Team Illinois has completed a 1:24 scale house model and a computer-animated walkthrough to be presented at the International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando, Florida from January 12-15, 2011. IBS is the largest residential trade show in the world with over 100,000 attendees which will provide Team Illinois the opportunity to talk to builders, suppliers, and manufacturers about the Re_home project. Our model shows various modifications and improvements since the last model deliverable in March 2010. In addition, the animation provides a realistic 3 dimensional tour of our home. To view the animation, see the link below.

Student visits from Youth Build McLean County to the 2009 Solar Decathlon house

On Thursday, December 9th, students from Youth Build McLean County will make their 2nd visit to the Urbana campus to visit the 2009 Solar Decathlon house and learn about the 2011 project design. Youth Build is a program that assists people aged 17-24 through education, job training, AmeriCorps, and affordable housing programs. Those involved in the affordable housing program are trained in the building trades and use these skills to build or renovate affordable housing for low-income families in their community.

Those involved in the affordable housing program for Youth Build McLean County will spend Thursday at the University of Illinois. They will visit the 2009 Solar Decathlon house and then learn about the progress of the 2011 project. As part of their visit, they will measure out the design of the 2011 house at full scale in order to get an idea of the space layout and the feel of the house from the interior. We are excited about this outreach event for the project and hope that these students will become involved with the construction of the house starting in February 2011.

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