Solar Decathlon

Abstract

After taking sixth place in the international Solar Decathlon competition hosted by the Department of Energy, Georgia Tech’s "Icarus" is now open for tours in its new location on campus. Georgia Tech's Solar Decathlon House harnesses and celebrates the sun's power. As in the Greek tale of the architect Daedalus and his son Icarus who embarked on a flight to the sun, so too the modern fascination with building "lighter" and more "transparent" buildings is presumed to be at odds with "energy conservation." And yet, at no other time in the history of construction have advances in materials technology and energy systems design rendered Icarus' vision more realizable. Exploring the paradox of "lightness" and "energy conservation" is the inspiration that guides the design and construction of Georgia Tech's Solar Decathlon House.