Green Housing Comes to Mall for Solar Decathlon

The National Mall is considerably greener this month, but don't thank the park service.

The US Department of Energy is hosting its 4th "Solar Decathlon," a competition in which college teams from around the country compete to design and construct the most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient house. Twenty teams from places as far away as Spain have built houses on the National Mall between the Capitol and the Washington Monument.
The goals of the competition are wide-ranging, but the two primary purposes are to educate the student participants about the benefits of green energy, and to raise awareness among the general public about renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Houses were designed and constructed at their respective universities, taken apart, and shipped to Washington for the competiton, where seven days were given to each team to reconstruct their entry on the  National Mall.

WRGW had the opportunity to tour one of the most interesting entrants to the competition, a house constructed by the University of Arizona named the SEED [pod].

The SEED [pod] focuses heavily on the use of natural and passive processes accomplish things that typically require electricity in a normal home.  For example, the house features what was called a "Water Wall" to passively heat and cool the interior space.  An entire wall of the house consists of what is effectively a plastic water tank filled with water, which absorbs heat through sunlight during the day and releases it during the night.  The Water Wall may also be used to cool the house by reversing the process above.

The idea for the Water Wall was originally a student thesis.  Team members highlighted the feature as an example of how the project was a vehicle for student research.

While the project took advantage of the efficiencies gained through passive processes, including large doors to allow for greater airflow and a design that allowed for circulation of air inside the house, innovations in solar-generated electricity were also present.  The solar panels utilized by the team are bifacial, meaning that they absorb sunlight on both sides.  To aid in solar collection, the roof of the SEED [pod] is painted white, reflecting light back through the solar panels and taking full advantage of their potential.

Due to the remote nature of the competition and the transportation challenges involved, modularity was a theme among all houses, especially the SEED [pod].  In fact, the entry derives much of its name from the modular nature of its house: SEED is a reference to the owner's ability to expand the house as his or her life progresses.  The house is constructed of "modules" that typically represent a single function, such as a kitchen, bathroom, office, or bedroom.  The house is designed in a way that allows for easy addition of these modules, so that a family expecting its first child could simply purchase an additional bedroom instead of an entirely new house.  This prefabrication allows the team to both cut costs and waste when considering the possibility of widespread adoption of their project.

To cut costs even more, the structural elements of the project are designed to be easily manufactured by any local steel company, further cutting transportation costs.  Most structural pieces are created from folded flat sheet steel, and specific instructions on their cutting and folding have already been created by the team.  Ideally, the team wishes for the consumer to be able to purchase a house plan and have a local facility complete the fabrication.

The houses are open to the public October 9th-13th and October 15th-18th.  For more information, including judging scores and links to teams' websites, visit www.solardecathlon.org.

Environmental Sustainability Hits Campus

Earlier today, the George Washington University held a symposium on urban sustainability and how Washington D.C. can lead the way.

The symposium - which ran from 8am until 2pm in Jack Morton Auditorium - featured prominent D.C. government officials and councilmembers, leaders of business and non-profit organizations and members of the GW community.

The goal of the symposium was to facilitate discussion in regards to the best practices the city could adopt to help become more energy-efficient. The discussion included several city and university leaders, including George Hawkins, Director of the D.C. Department of Environment, D.C. Deputy Mayor Victor Reinoso and GW President Steven Knapp. They discussed a wide variety of topics, including green jobs, development and education, all in terms of how to make the city more sustainable.

The symposium was followed by a luncheon at the Marvin Center which featured opening remarks by Chairman of the D.C. Council, Vincent Gray, and a discussion moderated by Steve Moore, the President and CEO of the Washington D.C. Economic Partnership.

The symposium follows news that the Sierra Club Magazine had named GW one of the five colleges that have failed to sufficiently invest in fighting the climate crisis. The other schools to make the list were the College of William and Mary, Howard University, Texas Tech University and Valdosta State University.

-Alex Laska

Earth Op-Ed

The debate on energy dependence and global climate change is often considered a partisan issue. But SMPA Professor Frank Sesno plans to bring all viewpoints to the table in a new forum which will promote a dynamic and unpredictable exchange of opinion.

The working title is Earth Op-Ed and it will be taking place on several media platforms, centering around a website and television show aired on public affairs programming. Earth Op-Ed will bring together people to exchange ideas, get information and engage in debate.

Sesno says that he hopes the project will be dynamic, interesting and fresh and he believes that, if done right, it will establish a leadership position for the George Washington University in both the global warming debate and in cross-platform media as a whole. The concept will be a university-based initiative, with several students and faculty members getting involved, and the television program to be shot on campus, in the Jack Morton Auditorium.

Sesno stressed above everything else that this is not a liberal activism platform. Rather, he plans to engage students, schools, advocates and interest groups from all sides of the debate the get and informative and engaging dialogue going.

Plans are still tentative, but Sesno aims to getting airing the show within the first 100 days of the new Presidential administration. Currently, his team is working on fundraising, and Sesno reports that they have already garnered over half of the funds needed to begin the project. They are also engaging potential partners and sponsors fro the operation and are recruiting students and faculty to get involved.

-Alex Laska

It Isn't Easy Being Green

GW was named one of the least eco-friendly campuses in the country by the Sierra Club – one of the country’s oldest environmental groups. This new label was given to GW after GW systematically failed to implement policies to combat climate change.

The report appeared in the Sierra Club’s August magazine, citing the university’s failure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to implement green building policies or to create incentives to ride public transportation.

GW was the first school in the District of Columbia to create an eco-friendly twenty year campus plan, according to University President Steven Knapp. Last year, Knapp also commissioned a task force to improve sustainability on campus.

Still, according to the report, GW is considered to be far behind many other private and public universities concerning environmental matters.

- Shawn Willis

Earth Day Makes GW Greener

Tuesday’s Earth Day Celebration was filled with crowds of supporters, cherry blossom trees and Earth Day-decorated cookies outside of Duques Hall.

GW President Steven Knapp officially signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, recognizing the responsibility the University has in setting an example in the effort to stay “green”.

GW joined 500 other institutions across the nation in committing to help the environment though education, as well as social, economic and technological solutions.

Other members of the GW community, as well as DC environmental leaders, joined in watching Knapp sign the agreement, where Knapp said he looked forward to “embracing the responsibility as the largest university in the area to work to halt and eventually reverse global warming.”
A student organization, Net Impact, recently raised $7,000 to install a ‘Green Roof’ on campus, prompting Knapp to announce that the University would match that amount and that installation of the roof would begin on the Elliot School building this summer.

The GW Cherry Tree yearbook will celebrate its 100th anniversary this year by publishing a more eco-friendly yearbook, as well as plant a cherry blossom tree, ten in all, marking each decade of the yearbook.

Before moving down the street to plant the cherry blossom trees, Maggie Desmond of the Student Association concluded the ceremony, stating “if we could do one thing today, Earth Day, it would be to leave this world a better place than it was this morning.”

Photo courtesy of the Hatchet.

- Lauren Mann

4/20 Earth Day A "Wash"...Literally

April 20, 2008 promised to be one of the biggest, greatest celebration of Earth Day that The District has ever seen. The entire National Mall worked in conjunction with the Green Apple Festival with a call for climate, a demand for immediate, effective and equitable action against global warming. All of the pieces were in place – the right amalgamation of leaders, community activists, top speakers and A-list talent including Jordin Sparks, Talib Queli, Will I Am, O.A.R., Umphreys McGhee and the much anticipated Roots. Hip Hop mogul Russell Simmons, actor Edward Norton and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) were also on the slate. But one very important factor truly conquered the celebration – Mother Earth herself.

Mother Earth showed up mean and melancholy with an obvious vendetta against The District. Torrential downpours ensued, along with gale-force winds and even reports of hail. But it was lightning from the approaching thunderstorms that really nipped the activities in the bud. Two tornadoes actually touched down in Maryland – one in Hyattsville and one in St. Charles.

Fewer than half the artists performed and even the event headliner – The Roots – failed to take the stage. It really was a sad day for concert-goers and for the organizers of the festivities.

Though, there were other popular ways to spend 4/20 that did not involve venturing outside at all. Wet and downtrodden concert-goers probably came together afterwards to capture the high that they failed to get from the concert.

- Shawn Willis

Knapp's House is Going Green!

Going green seems to be the thing to do nowadays and GW is making no exception to the rule!

President Knapp and his family will soon be moving into the Alumni House. The historical structure is currently being renovated. New energy efficient features are being incorporated into the building. Acquired by the university in 1974, Alumni House was built in 1849 and belonged to Charles Steedman, a navy captain.

So how will this historical building be going green? First, both the windows and lights will be energy-efficient, along with the new paint and carpet. Also, the new renovations will make it handicap-accessible.

According to University spokesperson Adela de la Torre, sustainability is a way to preserve the historical value of the building.

President Knapp will be moving into the house soon, although no date has been set because permits are still being processed.

- Claire Bauchart