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Interlock House

Photo Gallery

August Open House

Visitors congregate in the kitchen. IT Coordinator Eric Berkson prepares to lead a group through the house. A tour group stops at the mechanical room. Project Engineer Tim Lentz explains the Interlock House's mechanical systems to a tour group. Principal Investigator Ulrike Passe gives a tour to Iowa State University President Gregory Geoffroy. By mid-afternoon there was a thirty minute wait to tour the house.

Photo Voltaic Installation

Project Engineer Tim Lentz wiring the panels to our combiner box. Although not incredibly heavy, it was a workout to carry each panel up the ladder. We are using Sayno HIP-205BA19 panels on the house, each of which has a power output of 205 watts. Checking to ensure each panel is bolted securly. Lifting two more panels into place. The view from the top of our house. You can see the combiner box mounted above the panels.

BioBased Insulation

The spray-foam installers came out to survey the house. Spraying in the BioBased insulation. BioBased insulation is made with soy-bean oil as opposed to petroleum products. Special thanks to Sage Companies for coming out from Cedar Rapids to help us with the insulation. Construction site. KCRG Channel 9 from Cedar Rapids came out to film the installation.

Construction Begins

Solar Decathlon workshop discussing interior detailing. Construction of a wall assembly. Wall studs waiting to be trimmed. Raising the first wall. Framing the second wall. Constructing one of two roof modules. Securing a header in place. A roof module taking shape. Project Manager Aaron Brncich giving a tour of the building site. Leveling the structural modules. Leveling the structural modules. Bolting two modules together.

January Open House

Students answer questions at the public display. Improvised guest book. Construction Manager Aaron Brncich prepares to cut a ribbon marking the start of construction. Refreshment table. Students answer questions at the public display. Team members greeting one another.

January Workshop - Washington D.C.

Team construction manager Aaron Brncich. Reviewing construction documents prior to the start of the workshop. A visit from Team Spain. Visiting the Smithsonian. Future site of the Solar Decathlon competition. Solar Decathlon January workshop.

Design Development

Architecture faculty Clare Cardinal-Pett (left) and Ulrike Passe (right) listen to a Solar Decathlon workshop presentation. Solar Decathlon exhibition in the College of Design to show the complexity of the project to a broader university audience. Solar Decathlon workshop. Iowa State students consider conceptural strategies in a design charrette. March 13, 2008. Solar Decathlon team meeting. October 02, 2008. Student members of the ISU Solar Decathlon Team. Conceptual site model from the Solar Decathlon workshop. Conceptual house model from the Solar Decathlon workshop. Final house model from the Spring 2008 workshop. Solar Decathlon workshop luncheon to celebrate the completion of design development. Dinner meeting of Solar Decathlon Team student leaders. October 02, 2008. Surveying reclaimed Poplar at Ecolotree in North Liberty, Iowa. Interlock House Team at the annual AIA Iowa convention. Interlock House Team speaking with convention goers at the AIA Iowa convention. Radio interview with George Dorman of KCCK 88.3FM, Cedar Rapids, IA. Radio interview with George Dorman of KCCK 88.3FM, Cedar Rapids, IA. Construction mock-up class. Construction mock-up class.

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Major sponsors Iowa State University U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory