Solar Decathlon Houses Gain Strong Support from Vinyl Industry

WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 15, 2011 – Many of the solar-powered houses competing in the 2011 Solar Decathlon have received support from manufacturers and organizations in the vinyl industry.  Their engagement is a testament to how vinyl products can be instrumental in sustainable housing. 

Nineteen teams of architecture and engineering students have been challenged to design, build, and operate cost-effective, energy-efficient, and appealing solar-powered houses on the National Mall this September as part of the biennial competition organized by the U.S. Department of Energy. 

The unique living quarters are converging on the National Mall, where they will be installed for occupation by team members for  days, open to the public, and judged by a jury in various categories to determine the best and most efficient design.

Charlotte Pipe & Foundry is a sponsor of Team Florida’s entry, called Flexhouse, a house designed for Florida’s hot, humid climate and sized for a young, moderate income couple.

Saint-Gobain has provided materials and expertise for Team Massachusetts’ 4D House, including Certainteed PVC decking for the look of hardwood decking without the costly and time-consuming maintenance of natural wood.  Students and faculty from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and the Massachusetts College of Art and Design created the 4D House, which refers to the fourth dimension of time, and the changing needs that seasons, climate, and family require.

Sika Sarnafil has donated vinyl roofing membrane to Team New Jersey’s ENJOY house, designed for a couple retiring to the New Jersey shore, and to the EmPowerhouse, a one-bedroom structure with a light loft and green roof which is the project of Parsons the New School for Design and the Stevens Institute of Technology.   

The Vinyl Institute has provided funding and technical assistance for the SciArc/Caltech team and their house, called CH:iP (or Compact House: Increasing Possibility.)  CH:iP features an exterior insulation or ”outsulation” assembly wrapped in a flexible vinyl membrane.  Called PUFT, a combination of the insulation’s puffy feature with the skin’s tufting strategies, the material resembles the look of a down jacket or spacesuit.  Separating the structural members from the insulation layer, and wrapping the insulation assembly in a flexible vinyl membrane, gives CHiP the high R-values necessary for a net zero house at a significantly reduced cost..   

After the Solar Decathlon, the CHiP:2011 house will be used in museum and public exhibits, and ultimately owned and occupied by a permanent resident.

The 2011 Solar Decathlon will take place Sept. 23 to Oct. 2, in Washington, D.C., at the National Mall’s West Potomac Park just south of the new Martin Luther King, Jr., National Memorial.  The houses will be evaluated on 10 categories, which include architectural design, appeal, affordability, temperature, hot water, appliances, and home entertainment and comfort.  The winner of the competition is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy products and maximum efficiency. 

Every house in the competition is required to be net-zero, using only as much energy as its solar panels can generate.  And this year, the organizers have required in the Comfort Zone contest that the houses maintain an indoor temperature between 71 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit while keeping humidity below 60 percent in order to score the category’s maximum number of points.

The Solar Decathlon was first held in 2002, and has been held biennially since 2005.  The competition educates student participants and the public about cost-saving opportunities presented by clean-energy products, that combine energy-efficient construction and appliances with renewable energy systems, and provides participating students unique training that prepares them for careers in clean energy projects. 

For more information about the Solar Decathlon and the CH:IP House, go to: www.solardecathlon.gov and .   

The Vinyl Institute represents the leading manufacturers involved in the production of PVC/vinyl resin in the United States, and promotes the value of PVC/vinyl products to society. 

For more information on The Vinyl Institute, contact:
Jeffrey B. Palmer
Director of Marketing & Communications
The Vinyl Institute
571-970-3327
jpalmer@vinylinfo.org

Also go to www.vinylindesign.com, www.achievegreen.net, and www.vinylinfo.org.