The Solar Decathlon is a biennial collegiate competition challenging student teams to design and build full-sized, solar-powered homes with an emphasis on sustainability. This year, 11 teams from institutions across the world will participate in 10 contests that emphasize innovative design, energy efficiency, water use, resident comfort, and market potential. The DOE-sponsored competition, which is open to the public, will be held in Denver from Oct. 5-15. In this daily series, BUILDER takes a look at the innovative features of each of the homes.
Students from the University of California, Berkeley and University of Denver teamed up on a sustainable home design to support Richmond, Calif.’s transition from suburban living to urban living that is transit- and community-oriented. RISE will debut at this year’s Solar Decathlon as a single-family unit, although the prototype accommodates up to three stories with five units total.
Courtesy DOE/UCB/DU
RISE stands for Residential, Inviting, Stackable, and Efficient. The multifamily unit is designed to be a practical and efficient solution to the Bay Area’s tough housing challenge — the perfect storm of a growing population, sky-high cost of living, and shortage of undeveloped land.
Designed for middle- to low-income families, RISE is also intended to be affordable for a first-time home buyer. Its scalable, stackable design meets all requirements of Richmond’s building code — recently updated to promote higher density living — and can be fitted to a long, narrow infill lot. One, three, or five units can be constructed on-site without specialized labor, and a post and beam structure simplifies vertical loading.
RISE units are flexible, with walls that can be moved along a track to expand or reduce bedroom and living room spaces, foldable furniture, and modular cabinetry. Passive systems allow for net zero energy consumption, with heat and water reuse whenever possible. RISE units also include kitchen counters and tile made from recycled ceramic and non-toxic sheep’s wool insulation.
The crafted wood exterior of RISE’s south, east, and west facades forms a distinctive wave pattern, while the north facade’s moss wall helps to clean the air. The entire complex steps back to maximize roof spaces, while large stairwells promote community interactions.
The RISE team considers their Solar Decathlon design “a real-life [project] addressing real-life challenges.” After the competition, the unit will be donated to the Richmond Community Foundation and sold to a first-time home buyer through a housing renovation program.