This past spring, Middlebury’s Solar Decathlon team received news of their top-20 bid in the U.S. Department Energy’s competition to build a house for display on the National Mall in Washington D.C. It’s a big deal, but the hustle-bustle of spring semester meant that even the good news was simply swept away with final exams, pressing paper deadlines, and the usual end-of-year event craziness.
Summer, perhaps, leaves room for further reflection. And the core students, led by Addison Godine ’11, forge ahead as they head into the next school year. Construction on the physical house begins next spring continuing through the summer. That’s a marathon in student-years to be planning for the Fall of 2011.
Still some of the summer happenings include solar home visits, woodworking workshops, and office animals. The team is also trying on a new name: Self-Reliance. A sampling from their blog:
…the group came upon a name that encapsulates several key aspects of our target homeowner’s lifestyle – growing food, generating electricity, and living lightly on the planet. The suggestion, “Self-Reliance,” also represents the Vermont identity of being self-sufficient and self-sustaining in the face of challenging geographic and climatic conditions. The term grew on everyone, as we all realized that it broadly, yet precisely, embodies what our home stands for.
Finally, a quick promotional video from the team that was just released:
Stay tuned to all their developments and good luck to the team!
