Boston, MA – The Department of Architecture at Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) and the Solar Energy Engineering program at the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell) have been selected as one of 20 teams globally to compete in the next U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, which will be held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in the fall of 2011. The team is the only one from Massachusetts and one of only two from New England selected to compete.
Over the next 18 months, this joint team of architecture and engineering students will design, build, and operate an affordable and uniquely energy-efficient solar-powered house with the goal of completely eliminating energy costs for its inhabitants and creating a surplus of power.
The architecture department at MassArt is well suited to this endeavor with a program that focuses on design-build experiences and is based upon curriculum that is rooted in sustainable practice. The program seeks to train designers who are skilled in the practical design of buildings and urban environments; knowledgeable about structural form, materials and construction techniques; and dedicated to building sustainable communities by providing leadership in community service projects.
The Solar Energy Engineering Program at UMass Lowell combines the expertise of industrial technology, manufacturing, environmental, electrical, chemical, mechanical, and systems engineering students and professionals who have worked on global projects ranging from solar-powered vehicles, advancements towards future development of photo-voltaic cell technology to rural electrification projects powered by the sun.