MCCARREN, NV--(Marketwired - Jun 10, 2014) - Start.Home, built by Stanford students with structural insulated panels (SIPs), won first place in affordability and third place for market appeal at the US Department of Energy's 2013 Solar Decathlon, held in Orange County, CA in October. R-Control SIPs for the winning home were provided by ACH Foam Technologies.
The SIPs were incorporated in Start.Home's floor, walls, and roof. According to Stanford Start.Home team's Project Manager Rob Best, R-control SIPs were instrumental in the team's construction schedule and transportation procedure. Best played a pivotal role in bringing the home's total estimated construction cost under $250,000, winning a full 100 points in the affordability contest. "The Start.Home was designed from the very start to be both technologically advanced and affordable," said Best. "Through great design and engineering we were able to maintain the cost of our net-zero home at $235,000, remaining affordable in many parts of the country."
Solar Decathlon began in 2002 as a US competition and has since expanded to a global competition hosted by the US Department of Energy to promote solar technology. This year, 20 competing teams selected by the US DOE designed 1000 sq. ft. homes for the Decathlon that were evaluated on ten criteria: architecture, market appeal, engineering, communications, affordability, comfort zone, hot water, appliances, home entertainment, and energy balance.
Mike Tobin, President of AFM Corporation, said that AFM Corporation and ACH Foam Technologies, manufacturer of R-Control SIPs, have worked on numerous built projects with DOE and the EPA for years in developing the preferred envelope system for realizing Zero and Near Net Zero building designs. "The Solar Decathlon is simply an extension of our work with DOE and the EPA going back many, many years. We were attracted to the Stanford project due to the fact that these earlier developed Net Zero building concepts are being forwarded by Stanford."
For more information on ACH Foam Technologies and its products and services, see http://www.achfoam.com or phone 800.525.8697.
