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Congrats to winners!

jchen — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 02:38:37 +0000

Final Results Announced. Congrats to the Solar Decathlon winners!

1.WaterShed, University of Maryland
2.IN Home, Purdue – Solar Decathlon 2011
3.FirstLight, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

Team Massachusetts placed 9th overall. Here’s how we ranked in the ten contests: http://www.solardecathlon.gov/scores_teams_massachusetts.html

Team Massachusetts Moves Up Nine Ranks to 10th Place

jchen — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:52:56 +0000

In Red Sox fashion, Team Massachusetts started out at the bottom of the pile on Day 1, September 22nd, due to HVAC problems. Today we have moved up nine places since then and are in 10th place, mostly due to the Engineering results posted yesterday (We placed 9th in Engineering). We are optimistic that we will continue to rise when the results of the Energy Balance contest are announced.

Also, our home cost estimate came up overpriced ($325G) for the Affordability Contest when apparently the estimator took the total price for the whole hybrid PV system, and compound-multiplied it for each PV panel, thinking they were all Solar Thermal, when only 6 were out of the 28. Then, he added an extra zero to the end of the custom concrete counter-top cost. There were additional added costs to plumbing as well. We posted a protest (as well as 4 other teams) and the revised results are in! We’ve moved up from 9th ($325G) to 4th place ($268G) a $57G margin! These revisions have not been posted to the overall scores yet, so keep your fingers crossed! Here are the current scores: http://www.solardecathlon.gov/scores.html

Last Day for People’s Choice!

jchen — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 08:25:43 +0000

Today is the last day to vote for people’s choice. Vote by 7PM today on-site or online at http://www.solardecathlon.gov/poll/pca/pca_register.php

Public Tours of 4D Home

jchen — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 08:08:43 +0000

Brian giving tour points to public visitors

Since the 23rd, the home has been open to the public for tours (Event Schedule).

People are inquisitive about our New England inspired design as well as our materials donated by Saint-Gobain/Certainteed and the modular construction process with Epoch Homes and the use of Nordic I-Joists and glulam beams for the trusses. Team members from UMass Lowell answer questions from the public about the PV array that Mike from Solectria Renewables assisted us with, as well as our Solar Thermal panels by SunDrum Solar, that snap into the back of some of our SunPower PVs. Visitors also “ooh” and “ahh” at the demo of our movable walls and the artwork and furniture made by MassArt students using birch and Cambia wood. They also compliment the Makrowin windows as well as the spacious feeling of the vaulted ceiling with the skylight.

Chelsea on CBS Boston Radio

jchen — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 19:44:01 +0000

Our PR Coordinator, Chelsea Kelley, on WBZ NewsRadio 1030 (CBS Boston) with Anthony Silva earlier this week. http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/09/27/local-team-in-worldwide-solar-house-competition/

Dinner Parties

jchen — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:45:23 +0000

As part of the competition, teams host members of each others’ teams to dinner. We get to host others in our “neighborhood” which are SCI-Arch/Caltech, CCNY, and OSU. Last night was the first of two Dinner Party nights. More photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/4dhome/sets/72157627764935650

SCI-Arch/Caltech, CCNY, and OSU at the table with us

Team Massachusetts Wins Dow Corning Solar Chat

jchen — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 17:49:25 +0000

On Friday, September 23rd, Dow Corning hosted a Tweet-Off for an iPad for the team with the most tweets in a Q&A-type session. Pitted against teams with multiple tweeters, Julie Chen, our team photographer and social media coordinator, tied with Team Canada, who had four tweeters at the event. Dow Corning gave each team an iPad2. Congrats to Julie for winning for the team: http://dowcorningsolarblog.com/2011/09/24/dcsolarchat-winners-announced-ipads-awarded/

Here is a sampling of the team responses to the #DCsolarchat questions:

Team Massachusetts Stay ahead of the curve with SOLAR R&D in the US! Make others come to us for our ideas. #SD2011 #DCsolarchat #solar
Team Massachusetts Grants for educational solar programs will get more schools to participate in solar #DCsolarchat #solar
Team Massachusetts Get paid for solar power from your roof? Yes, you can with grid-tie inverters. #SD2011 #DCsolarchat
Team Massachusetts Educate the public on grid-tied systems. They will realize the cost-benefit more quickly. #SD2011 #DCsolarchat
Team Massachusetts Sunlight is free and should be harvested. More energy from the sun, less energy from oil from disturbing the earth. #DCsolarchat #4DhomeUS
Team Massachusetts #DCsolarchat Educational programs that partner with solar industry leaders/manufacturers/engineers would create a better educated workforce.
Team Massachusetts Small scale presence = word-of-mouth, as utility-scale = commercial ad. You’re more likely to ignore an ad than your neighbors.#DCsolarchat
Team Massachusetts @Solar_Decathlon #DCsolarchat Design affordable, livable homes, creates greater demand for the industry, thus more jobs.

Spencer on WBUR Weekend Edition Saturday

jchen — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 11:31:21 +0000

Spencer Culhane, Team Massachusetts Project Manager

Tune in to Sharon Brody’s radio interview of our Project Manager, Spencer Culhane, on NPR Weekend Edition Saturday as they talk about the 4D Home and the Solar Decathlon experience. College Students Compete In Solar Decathlon

4D Home Finished

jchen — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 22:32:14 +0000

The team celebrated yesterday as they passed their final inspections. We had our first VIP tours today for sponsors, colleagues, and officials. Check out the first photos of the interiors on our flickr page:

Living room detail

Construction not quite over

jchen — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:38:58 +0000

Yesterday was supposed to be the last day of construction for all teams, and the stop-work time was 7pm, however it wasn’t for us. All inspections for the homes needed to be complete by 7pm, however the electrical inspector walked into our house in the afternoon, unannounced, and left, without ever scheduling a time for inspection. Apparently, he did this to seven other teams as well, failed us all, and left the premises well before 7pm. So, since we incurred a penalty anyway, we took a break for the evening, and got the okay to resume work today.

The good news is that the house looks great, and construction-wise, there is mainly some trim to be put up, some electrical to finish, and a clean-up of the lot. Thanks to Mike Kelly (Solar Engineering Manager for Solectria) for sticking around the extra days to help with things, who departs today.

Today kicks-off the first of media previews, as Richard King, the Solar Decathlon Director, gives a welcome presentation to press and media, as well as a tour of the homes in the Solar Village.

Team Massachusetts in front of the 4D Home

It’s been a long night

jchen — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 11:23:52 +0000

Less than 12 hours to go until the plug is pulled on all construction for the night, and the team has been at it overnight. Check out this video of all hands on deck last night:

Construction Photos

jchen — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:09:05 +0000

After days and nights of shooting on site at the Solar Decathlon, our photographer has posted progress photos to the team flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/4dhome/sets/72157627573725681/. Take a look! Also check out our new flickr tab in the left side bar of the Solar Decathlon-Team Massachusetts FaceBook page.

September 16th, before the PVs are installed

Solar Panels Go Up

jchen — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:06:16 +0000

Mike Kelly and Mike Hughes discussing PV electrical

After the south deck was in place, the team began assembly of the trellises on Friday. After that, they began installing the PV rails (Renewable Sales) and then the PVs under the direction of Mike Kelly (Solectria) and Mike Intrieri (SunDrum) on Saturday. Check out our latest time-lapse video of the trellis and PVs coming together: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viUvw5bxnNg Also, our photographer has posted progress photos on the flickr photostream. Check them out: http://flickr.com/4dhome/

Apurav and Raam securing the the 19th PV panel

Pow-wow on the East end of the house

Spencer on the phone, relaying status

PV rail installation

Anant in the foreground, preparing a rail. Apurav taking in the view.

First PV being installed by Erik, Apurav, Anant, and Raam

Erik strapped in on the roof

House goes up overnight!

jchen — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:18:37 +0000

Here’s a photo log of what happened yesterday below. For the time-lapse, go to our Youtube Channel: Time-Lapse: House Module Assembly in DC

The team preps the site with footings.

First module arrives (South wall module)

South module is set

North roof module goes on.

Morning of September 16th. (This photo by decathlete Evon Calabrese)

Vote for us!

jchen — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:32:42 +0000

Buildipedia spent the past year covering the Solar Decathlon and the schools involved. Here is your chance to vote for us to be in their next video, shot on location at the competition in Washington, DC! The top three in the poll get exclusive coverage by Buildipedia. http://buildipedia.com/solar-decathlon-2011/poll

Snags Won’t Keep Us Down

jchen — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:32:07 +0000

Team members are arriving, but the modules are still en route. The trucking company that we had contracted to ship the house did not produce the trucks on scheduled date, which is setting us back a couple of days. Other issues arise as some team members are stuck in Connecticut with consecutive box trailer failures.

But fortunately, our house has been designed and built to go together quickly and the dry run we made at Epoch will allow us to assemble the shell, decks and trellis in a few work shifts. The craning process will go quickly because our trucks won’t need to wait in line behind other teams.

Competition organizers from the DOE have been encouraging, and tell us that snags like these are nothing new to the competition. Also we are not the only team whose team arrived before their house. One team’s house modules were prevented from passage through a state border patrol.

All of us, our colleagues and our competitors, won’t let these things get us down, and are determined to go all the way. We will rally to make this one of the best Solar Decathlons yet!

Shipping Started Today

jchen — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:38:16 +0000

While classes have started both at MassArt and UMass Lowell, the key team members are at Epoch Homes, monitoring the shipping process which started this morning with disassembly of the modules. Here’s a late shot of the house last night. Check out these other photos on our flickr:

Also check out the new one-week time-lapse on our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/4Dhome?feature=mhee#p/f/0/ST0XL6PbQ-U

Send-Off Party

jchen — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 07:54:12 +0000

JOIN US FOR OUR SEND-OFF PARTY at the New England Regional Council of Carpenters Headquarters! For two years, students from MassArt and UMass Lowell have been painstakingly designing, fundraising, promoting, and constructing for one end goal: complete the 4D Home. The time has finally come, and just days before we head to the National Mall with our house, we invite you to join our team for music, food and refreshments! Invitation PDF: sendoff-invite.pdf (PDF 175KB)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2011 6-9 pm NEW ENGLAND REGIONAL CARPENTERS CENTER 750 Dorchester Avenue Boston, MA 02125

Live music

Snacks and refreshments

Displays of the team’s work

Free parking

Bring your friends and family!

One Week to Go!

jchen — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 20:32:09 +0000

Rains have not kept Team Massachusetts from working on the 4D Home. The team is working hard to have the house ready to ship to DC by Monday.

Don’t forget to drop by our Send-Off Party this Friday at the New England Regional Council of Carpenters Headquarters.

Photos on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/4dhome/sets/72157627493877231/

Laboring on Labor Day Weekend

jchen — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 20:30:08 +0000

: The modules assembled, the team starts on the exterior.

With the competition quickly approaching, and more rain storms looming ahead, the team is working this weekend to get as much done on the exterior as possible. The modules are finally set, and the house water-tight. Decks are currently going in, and soon the trellises. Photos from the Module Assembly: http://www.flickr.com/photos/4dhome/sets/72157627583186248/ Check out this time-lapse video of the module assembly: