Nov 13 2015
The Stevens Institute of Technology’s SURE HOUSE has taken home first prize in the 2015 U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon. The Vinyl Institute, one of the SURE HOUSE sponsors, backed the team of over 60 students which captured the event’s top trophy. By building a sustainable and resilient home through their inspired combination of dedication and innovation, the team showcased the balanced performance, versatility, and efficiency of vinyl products.
“This is very exciting for us,” says Susan Wade, VP of Marketing and Communications for the Vinyl Institute. “The design was about sustainability and resilience. With the house being a coastal home, vinyl really played a key role. It was an opportunity to show how important vinyl is to those design goals.”
The beach house design was a direct response to the need for sustainable, resilient homes along the New York and New Jersey shores. The home was engineered to fully utilize a renewable energy source--in this case solar energy-- while being resilient to the evolving coastal effects of climate change. In addition, the home is a fully functional energy hub which can provide power for itself and to adjacent homes in case of large-scale emergencies.
Over a period of two years, the team thought creatively about efficiency and sustainability and better ways to attain them. The engineering and design elements of this project relied heavily on materials to meet the high standards for the home. Strength, durability, and energy efficiency made vinyl a clear choice.
The piping, wiring, and cable insulation, as well as the reflective roof, the indoor and outdoor flooring, and the windows all contain vinyl. The SURE HOUSE became the perfect model for designers, builders, and homeowners to become educated on the material’s versatile attributes.
The SURE HOUSE details will be the featured presentation by the Vinyl Institute at Greenbuild 2015, booth 1206, being held at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., November 18-20, 2015.
“This is a great opportunity,” Wade continued. “We hope to see everyone at Greenbuild to showcase this extraordinary home and talk to the students who designed and built it.”
The Vinyl Institute, founded in 1982, is a U.S. trade association representing the leading manufacturers of vinyl, vinyl chloride monomer, vinyl additives and modifiers, and vinyl packaging materials. The Vinyl Institute serves as the collective voice for the vinyl industry; engaging industry stakeholders in shaping the future of vinyl. The Vinyl Institute is dedicated to enhancing the growth and protecting the stature of the vinyl industry within the United States.
For more information, contact: Joel Domanowski , Interline Creative Group, Inc., 553 N. North court, Suite 160 Palatine, IL 60067. 847-358-4848
Source: http://vinylinfo.org/