The University of Illinois engineering team designed and built a zero energy, solar powered home. They were one of 20 teams to participate at the bi-annual Solar Decathlon in Washington D.C. The team finished 1st in two categories, Market Viability and Comfort Zone and placed 9th overall.
The team envisioned a concept of flexible modular housing that disaster relief operations could use as temporary housing or as mobile office and command centers.
This was the first time University of Illinois has competed in the event which is U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in partnership with its National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the Department of Energy provided $100,000 in seed money to each team in the competition.
For more information visit the "elementhouse" website- http://www.solardecathlon.uiuc.edu/
