by Tafline Laylin
filed under: Architecture, Solar Decathlon


Florida’s 2011 solar decathlon team has conceived a sleek plan to beat the state’s crippling summer humidity with this attractive FLeX House. A flexible, modular building system that can be modified to suit anyone, anywhere, it was especially designed with a young middle-income, sun-kissed Florida couple in mind. Using superior insulation, the latest energy efficient technologies, and recycled materials — among an assortment of other techniques and technologies — the FLeX house aims to be the ultimate net-zero home.


Combining conservation measures and state-of-the-art technology, the team has developed a home that will be comfortable any time of year. With sliding glass panels and passive design elements that optimize day lighting and reduce solar gain, the FLeX house will comprise both photovoltaic panels and solar thermal con­centrating panels to use as little energy as possible.
There will be no need for an energy intensive heat pump since water will be heated with a solar system, and the interior will be adorned with a waterfall that actually removes moisture from the air to reduce humidity levels. Just about everything we can think of has been incorporated into this very high-tech home, including embodied energy calculations, recyclable building materials, and much more, showing off the Florida team’s amazing conceptual prowess.
(Source: www.inhabitat.com )