Solar Curb Appeal
Homes pair modern design with green technology
by Jeremy Egner
American University Interactive Journalism
Fall 2007
Photo by Jeremy Egner
Montreal student Catherine Seers talks
about her team’s garden wall.
WASHINGTON, D.C.–A curious colony of striking structures sprang up almost overnight recently on the National Mall. Sitting in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol, these small dwellings, wrapped in glass tubes, wall gardens, stainless steel and a Crayola box’s worth of bright vivid colors, provide an arresting counterpoint to the iconic, neoclassic dome at the top of the hill.
The buildings in question are this year’s entries in the Solar Decathlon, a biannual competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy in which college teams from all over the globe both compete to create the most attractive, energy efficient solar homes and try to convince the public that solar technology not just for the future, but for today as well.
Photo by Jeremy Egner
Brian Drocco, a member of the third-place
Santa Clara University team, talks about why
his group went with a traditional look for
their Solar Decathlon entry.
“This is not a solar power house that you live in. This is actually a really nice house that you live in that happens to be solar powered.” When most people think of solar houses, what probably comes to mind are the bulky black panels that sit on the occasional roof.
The challenge of solar design is to make energy efficiency look great. Because even the most innovative sustainable technology would have limited appeal without a little curb appeal.
“Not only do you want it to be designed well, but you want it to be eye-catching,” said Jimmie Moore, a Philadelphia based developer who came to Washington in search of inspiration for an upcoming project.
What are the style rules for solar architecture? The houses tend to be small to reflect the green less-is-more philosophy, said Simon Jones, a Montreal architect who advised Team Montreal.
Photo by Jeremy Egner
The University of Illinois Champaign
Urbana’s entry looked like a space age log
cabin, fitting for the Land of Lincoln.
But for the most part, there aren’t any rules. Euromodern, Texas rustic, California mission–all these approaches as well as other, less easily definable aesthetics were on display on the Mall.
The German entry, a sleek, shuttered mid-century modern inspired box, took first place in the 2007 Solar Decathlon. The University of Maryland’s nature-inspired retreat, complete with a garden growing from the exterior walls, won second. Santa Clara University’s Mission-style abode rounded out the top three.
Architects who specialize in sustainable design are happy to see the next generation of solar designers embracing such stylistic diversity. At a time when green concerns and sustainability are trendy issues, it might be tempting for architects to promote some form of solar chic.
But that would be a mistake, says Susan Maxwell, a Philadelphia-based architect who was one of the 2007 Decathlon judges.
“In terms of what green design or sustainable design is always looking for, is for a design that responds to its place, its context,” she says. “And so we would hope, certainly, that there never became a thing such as ’solar design.’”
Listen to the audio story