First you hear it, then you see it. UNLV students in hard hats and face masks crowd around a work table and work together on blueprint measurements. Just a few feet away, a generator is generating electricity for power tools that more students use in and on the solar roof of a house they are building from scratch.
A few months ago, this huge property in East Henderson was dormant when the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the nation and halted construction of Mojave Bloom – UNLV's entry into the U.S. Department of Energy's 2020 Solar Decathlon Build Challenge. The competition, which takes place every two years, calls on universities around the world to design, build and operate houses with renewable energy. UNLV is one of nine teams selected to fight for their rights as the best student builders in the world.
But when competition day approaches, the construction site will be full of activity again.
The competition date, originally set for July 2020, has been postponed to mid-April of this year, and Team Las Vegas is now competing against the clock to put the finishing touches on the 628 square meter house.
“Collaborative projects like Solar Decathlon combine innovation with research, community partnership and education to develop revolutionary designs that inspire sustainability, influence the next generation of builders and address pressing societal issues,” said team advisor and UNLV architecture professor Eric Weber. “Our students have done an exceptional job in the most demanding conditions imaginable and have shown themselves to be extraordinarily resilient to bring this project to completion.”
The Solar Decathlon team must now retrofit Mojave Bloom with cameras to accommodate the linchpin of the competition from a personal presentation at the Washington Mall in DC to its first virtual extravaganza with guided tours for the public. The Solar Decathlon competition starts April 15th. The judges will spend three days evaluating the homes in 10 categories including innovation, comfort and environmental quality, energy efficiency, market potential and affordability for the layperson.
The pandemic was fraught with challenges, including social distancing measures that limited the number of workers on site, took extra time to clean equipment and surfaces, and wore masks while working under the incredibly hot desert sun. But Jorge Medina, a PhD student who transitioned from the exhibition industry to studying architecture two years ago, said the entire experience – delays, adjustments, and everything – was worth it.
“The greatest gain would be learning to make decisions and helping us put our knowledge into practice,” said Medina, whose passion for environmental protection and sustainable design drew him to the project. “When you join the workforce, you have to take a close look at the theory. But having hands-on experience as well will really help improve your resume. “
Building on strong performances in the 2013 and 2017 competitions, the multidisciplinary team at UNLV, with nearly 50 students from architecture, engineering and other fields, hopes that the concept of Mojave Bloom – a place of healing and recreation for military veterans suffering from the adverse effects of a Suffering from war trauma – this will wow Solar Decathlon judges. In the Las Vegas Valley, where approximately 10% of the population has a military background, there is a significant need for veterans housing – an issue that is close to the hearts of several members of the project's architectural design team who were military veterans and spouses of military personnel.
On April 1st, Mojave Bloom will be transported by truck and crane through the streets of Las Vegas from its temporary construction site at the Henderson headquarters of project sponsor Xtreme Cubes to its permanent construction site in the Healing Garden in downtown Las Vegas. The healing garden is an ideal place as the home is focused on smoothing the transition from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury to healthy living, said Weber, who is also a military veteran.
The energy neutral or “autonomous” house was built to thrive in the harsh climate of the Mojave Desert and to work independently of all public utilities. The Las Vegas team has integrated new and emerging off-the-shelf renewable energy systems, technologies, products, and devices that promote sustainability. The project's organizational layout is based on Prospect Refuge Theory, which reduces stress by being able to see the entire space and making the resident feel protected by gates and other elements that allow the homeowner to enter rooms Need to close. Features are:
-
Windows that offer uninterrupted views of the surroundings and let in natural light and help regulate the body's circadian rhythm to aid sleep.
- The closed courtyard, which is inspired by traditional Islamic cream, is intended to protect residents from heat and noise and offer veterans a place of healing and relaxation.
- Reclaimed water circulating through the courtyard's hydroponic system creates a meditative sound.
- Four monolithic walls provide a sense of solidity, security, and containment, and provide an area for deep isolation, creating a barrier to outside noise that can trigger PTSD.
- Solar panels on the roof and a thermal solar panel with glass tubes that can be adjusted to the movement of the sun.
- Radiant floors that use solar energy to heat the house and avoid dry air and skin.
- Galvanized steel siding to reflect heat away from the interior of the house.
- A sophisticated fresh air system that uses carbon and HEPA filters to remove allergens, as well as eutectic salts that alternate between freezing and liquefying to regulate room temperature, carbon dioxide and optimal humidity.
The international competition informs the public about energy-saving forms of living. It is a student-led project that provides hands-on experience from the fundraising and sponsorship stage, through architectural design, to obtaining guidance from faculty members, industry mentors, and community supporters.
The Solar Decathlon 2020 was the first introduction of many team members into the construction. Several said working on the project taught them practical lessons on how to use tools. It also helped construction management major at UNLV College of Engineering, Alejandro Munoz, complete several high profile internships, including with McCarthy Building Companies, which were building the Allegiant Stadium. Former bartender / server electrical engineering major Quinton Micheau of the Las Vegas Strip said the competition even inspired him to explore home construction as a hobby.
“It's so easy to design on a computer – that million dollar idea – but it's special to bring it to life, install it, and do it with your own hands,” said Kelcie Cabrera, senior interior design major .