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This summer the Middlebury Solar Decathlon is building a small, 100% solar-powered home that will compete in the US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 Competition. The Solar Decathlon is a biennial green-building competition that brings together 20 collegiate teams from all over the country and world to showcase their solar homes on the National Mall in Washington D.C. This competition is one of the most ambitious and inspiring events in the country, as it challenges these teams to demonstrate inventive clean-energy solutions, feature cost-effective and energy-efficient construction, and incorporate energy-saving appliances and renewable energy systems within their 100% solar-powered homes. Team Middlebury’s home, “Self-Reliance,” strives to do all this as it reinvents the iconic New England Farmhouse, integrating today’s efficient technologies into a home for a Vermont family of four.

It is our belief that living sustainably can be facilitated by beautiful, comfortable, and practical design. When architecture and technology are used wisely together to utilize the power of the sun and other renewable energy resources, our impact on this earth is greatly reduced. As we construct our solar-powered home this summer we hope to offer a sustainable solution to life in the 21st century.

We invite you to follow our construction progress over the next 12 weeks via the weekly videos we will be posting with Planet Forward. It is our hope to extend this learning opportunity to a greater community beyond Middlebury, and inspire others to turn to sustainable design practices as well. Please stay tuned!

For more information about the Middlebury Solar Decathlon team, please visit http://solardecathlon.middlebury.edu/

Looking to keep track of Team Middlebury?

Click here to view the previous idea submission from Middlebury’s Solar Decathlon team. For access to the entire archive of Middlebury Solar Decathlon 2011 videos: Visit the Member Page

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3 Responses to “Episode 2: The Pace Amps Up On Middlebury Construction”


  1. On June 15th, 2011 at 1:23 pm Elizabeth Segil Said:

    Looks fantastic, and I am looking forward to the segmetn with the roof modules going on. Go Team Middlebury! The time lapse segmetn is very cool with all teh weather and sun up and down.


  2. On June 15th, 2011 at 4:33 pm Ellen Norton Said:

    Go Youth! I have solar PV, gray water collection, and a Volt. My generation is slow to move to energy conservation. So much rests on your generation to embrace and develop it!


  3. On June 17th, 2011 at 2:39 pm Melissa Segil Said:

    Hi Frank!

    Great questions. Team Middlebury College is excited to present Self-Reliance on the National Mall, and we believe we’ll stand out for a number of reasons. The first is that this home is designed for a family of four. All Solar Decathlon entries are capped at 1,000 square feet, and few teams attempt to build a home for a family with that limitation. The average American home is around 2,400 square feet, so this smaller footprint encourages efficient use of materials and space.

    Our design is inspired by the iconic New England farmhouse, and we have taken the most effective design principles of the farmhouse and incorporated them into a contemporary design. We’re using spray-blown cellulose (composed of 80% recycled materials) as our insulation. This is a conscious choice away from foam insulation, which is an excellent energy-saver, but is composed of toxic chemicals and leaches greenhouse gases over the course of its lifetime. A team of Middlebury chemistry students has done research about its materials choices, and we make every effort to use natural, healthy, and sustainable products.

    Our design features many passive principles– excellent insulation and south-facing windows, in order to reduce the overall electricity demand in the house. After doing that up-front work, we incorporated solar panels to cover the home’s energy demands. The average American family can live in this home and meet all of its modern needs (washer/dryer, dishwasher, etc) with a 100% renewable source, the sun!

    The name Self-Reliance comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s famous essay, which challenges individuals to question the status quo. Team Middlebury is not accepting residential design conventions that waste energy and are unsustainable, we’re questioning everything and presenting a design fit for the 21st century. We aim to present a house that will foster sustainable, healthy, family living at a price that is not prohibitive.

    Please follow us and visit our blog for frequent updates! For more information:
    http://solardecathlon.middlebury.edu/blog/
    http://twitter.com/#!/middsd

    Melissa Segil
    Team Manager
    Middlebury College Solar Decathlon

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