Students from Virginia Tech are among those who have been highlighting the house they constructed for the contest, which will also feature entries from about 20 other educational institutions.
The Virginia Tech entry is called the Lumenhaus and students have created a website to highlight its technological features. For example, along with deriving 100 percent of its energy from solar power, the house has a variety of features that further optimize its performance.
The house is designed to automatically respond to changes in the environment while also using passive energy and radiant energy systems. The design of the house also allows it to take considerable advantage of natural light with glass walls in some parts of the structure.
The Lumenhaus also features a photovoltaic solar energy roof array along with a meter that keeps track of energy information throughout the day.
