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Students compete to build sustainable houses |
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Tuesday, 17 April 2007 |
by JAMISON DORAN
News Reporter
Appalachian State University students in the building science program competed in a Sustainable Design Competition Friday in the hopes of moving on to the regional competition in Raleigh April 21.
“This is the seventh year of this competition, and it has spread to become a nationwide competition,” Don G. Woodruff, instructor of technology, said.
The program focuses on teaching students how to work together as a team
and to build a sustainable and energy efficient home, he said.
 Active Image | David Mulvaney | Chief Photographer
The winning house model in the Sustainable Design Competition was built around the idea of creating an energy efficient and liveable space for a family.
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Students had to make sure the house stayed within a specified budget, fit with neighboring houses and was energy efficient.
The winning team was made up of Erin C. White, a senior interior design
major, Mark C. Manis, a senior industrial technology major, Morgan L.
Walker, a senior interior design major, and Timothy J. Bayless, a
junior building science major.
The team met at least once a week for the entire semester, pulling an all-nighter the night before the judging.
“All the hard work paid off,” White said.
Their design revolved around the word “nested,” because the team wanted to create an inviting nest for the family.
The family consisted of a single mother along with two children and a
cat in Durham, so it was important that the group make it a livable
space for all of them, White said.
“We wanted to make a house that was low maintenance but also a house that was visually pleasing and sustainable,” she said.
Manis agreed the main focus was to make the house into a good living environment.
“Our emphasis was on creating a nest and making the family feel
comfortable, not in building some technological wonder,” he said.
Both Manis and White said the learning experience was one of the most important things they walked away with.
“I really learned a lot working with so many different people with
different majors. We really ended up growing together as a team,” Manis
said.
The team who finished in second will also travel to Raleigh to compete in the regional competition.
The second place team was made up of Krystin M. Mason, a sophomore
building sciences major, Shae B. Jones, a junior building science
major, and Blake Hayworth, a senior building sciences major.
“Our goal was to create an affordable house that brought a different look to the neighborhood,” Mason
said.
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