about the 2009 solar decathlon

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Watch the video Prairie Solar Home: The Illinois Decathlon Story

News coverage

1st Place in the United States
2nd Place in the World

After months of hard work, and one long week of competition, Homeway Homes as the builder partner with the University of Illinois in the International Solar Decathalon, finishes the worldwide competition in 2nd place. Germany earned 1st and California earned 3rd place.

Read the full press release

The Solar Decathlon is a competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in partnership with its National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

This is the fourth Solar Decathlon event and the second time the University of Illinois will be involved. The Decathlon gets its name from the 10 specific areas of competition: architecture, engineering, market viability, communications, comfort, appliances, hot water, lighting, energy balance, and transportation. In addition to producing enough electricity and hot water to perform all the functions of a home, from powering lights and electronics to cooking, washing clothes and dishes, each home must produce surplus energy sufficient to power an electric car. The team that finishes the week of competition with the most points wins.

The Illinois home, a response to rural vernacular that showcases modern technology and energy efficiency within a historically significant exterior performed extremely well in the objective contests, earning 1st place in Hot Water, Appliances and Home Entertainment. We also earned 2nd in Net Metering, Lighting Design and Comfort Zone.

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DC photos

Build Process

Finished Home

Gable Home: 2009 + SD / IL

We at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are proud of our agricultural heritage. Grown in the midst of central Illinois farmland and with a history of making significant agricultural discoveries, we are indebted to the land and the values of the people who have worked it for generations. It is that hard-working, practical, and welcoming spirit that we have sought to capture in our design.

This image is a computer rendering of the 2009 Solar Decathlon house, named the Gable Home. The concept for the University of Illinois' Solar Decathlon house is a simple mid-west vernacular design. The home features Passive House standard design and reclaimed barn wood.

Vernacular Re-imagined

Long known as the “bread basket” of America, the Midwestern United States can be characterized by the practical, honest, and hard-working people who live there and by the thousands of acres of working farmland. The architecture that developed in this region is known as Midwestern Vernacular and is a symbol of the work and the character of the people. The gabled farmhouses of the Midwestern Vernacular have long been symbols of the ideal family home, and the gabled wooden barn is the iconic Midwestern symbol of work and sustenance. It is from these symbols that we have drawn our primary inspiration.

This image is a computer rendering of the 2009 Gable Home as viewed from the deck. A covered porch shelters the entry way and connects the house to an outdoor storage shed.

Reclaimed Wood from Local Barn

When barns are no longer of use, they are left to deteriorate peacefully in the farm fields. To further connect the Gable Home with the iconic barns of the mid-west, and in an effort to promote sustainability, we have reclaimed wood from dilapidated farm structures to use for the siding and decking of the home.

This image is a photograph of an old wood as it is being scrapped to be used for the siding material of the Gable Home. The old, red barn had not been in use for several years and the paint will be removed from the salvaged wood before it is installed on the Gable Home.

Passive House Design

The Gable Home was designed to meet Passive House standards, a rigorous performance evaluation that requires optimal performance and environmentally sensitive design. The house is highly insulated and incorporates advanced window design and installation technology. Such specifications reduce air infiltrations significantly and help the home act like a thermos, maintaining a comfortable, consistent indoor temperature.

This image is a computer rendering of the 2009 Gable Home as viewed from the south-west. The south facade features an array of solar panels to power the house, and large shading devices that protect the house from large heat gains in the summer, while allowing the heat in during the winter.