Poster 18: The Solar Decathlon is a competition run every two years by the U.S. Department of Energy for which teams from colleges and universities around the world design and build entirely solar-powered homes. Middlebury's submission this year, InSite, is focused on reconnecting people with place. We saw the concept of sustainability as threatened by growing disconnects between products and their resources, buildings and their contexts, and families and their neighbors. In addressing these issues, we created our Five Points of InSiteful Design: Live in a Walkable Community, Prioritize Social Space, Centralize Energy Systems, Engage the Street, and Use Local Materials. We have used these Five Points to design our home InSite, but they are not limited to our project. Our Five Points can be translated into any context to help create a sustainable future. This presentation was supported by the entire 2013 Solar Decathlon team.
