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solardecathlon.berkeley.edu | @solardecathlonatcal | berkeleysolardecathlon@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION
We are Berkeley’s first Solar Decathlon Team! The Solar Decathlon is a competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, where student teams design, build, fund, and transport solar powered, net-zero energy homes that compete in a decathlon of competitions. We have designed our home specifically for Richmond, California in an effort to address urbanization and gentrification while still focusing on the sustainability and solar goals of the competition. Our home will be stackable, sustainable, and affordable, for families in a growing urban area.
We are a diverse and multidisciplinary group of students with backgrounds ranging from design, engineering, and architecture, to business and economics. Yet, we all share the common goal of building a home that presents solutions to environmental concerns and addresses affordability and rapid urbanization. Our versatile and innovative approach to the competition will shed new light on housing solutions that will be applicable in not just Richmond but many areas across the country. We have been working on this project for over a year now; we have implemented new strategies, been mentored by professionals, held outreach events, and have a team of dedicated students that will ensure the success of our house - but we need your help to be successful! Please consider making a gift to our Solar Decathlon Team.
THE PROJECT
We have been working on our house since 2015 and we are getting closer to seeing all of our hard work come to life. We are building a house that is zero net energy and an affordable, sustainable alternative for housing in areas suffering from gentrification like Richmond, California.
OUR DESIGN
Our team wanted to encompass our design goals into a name that we felt represents what we are about. We decided on the name RISE, which alludes to our unique, multi-story design. Further, upon shaping our team values to address the needs of our target city - Richmond, California, we encompassed our design philosophy with the four words that are name stands for.
THE IMPACT
We want our impact to inspire others and provide a long-lasting, sustainable solution for Bay Area gentrification. This project also represents an opportunity for students, in Richmond and at UC Berkeley, to learn about sustainability through hands-on experience. To accomplish this, we have been working with high school students in Richmond, through an in-class workshop to teach students about energy and sustainability. The workshop encourages students to engage with the design process through a “theoretical” Solar Decathlon Competition. Working with the Richmond community to critique and improve our project has been a top priority of our team. We have begun to work with the Richmond Community Foundation to find a final location for our home, after the competition next October.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Check out our website at solardecathlon.berkeley.edu or email us at berkeleysolardecathlon@gmail.com
Your name will appear on the Cal Solar Decathlon website.
A personalized shout-out on a combination of our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts.
A postcard with a hand-written "Thank-You" from the team
Insider photos of the team's work and building progress included with a handwritten "Thank-You" form the team
Invitation to join a special tour of our building site
Name a room in our house after yourself, your family, or company