A Place in the Sun: Cornell Solar House Auction April 7

In summary, Cornell University will be holding a public auction for its award-winning solar house on April 7. The 640-square-foot home, which placed second in the 2005 U.S. Department of Energy's international competition, will be on display for open houses on April 1, 2, and 7. The 2007 Solar Decathlon Team will also be hosting a reception in the solar house after the auction. While some question the durability of the solar panels in a hurricane, the angle can be adjusted and the house is designed to be self-sufficient, as shown by the owner's ability to heat their own home with minimal resources. Additionally, the areas that receive the most intense sunlight in the U.S. are typically
  • #1
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Cornell's award-winning solar house to be auctioned April 7
By Susan S. Lang

To give everyone an equal chance for a place in the sun, Cornell University will hold a public auction to sell off its Solar Decathlon House, second-place winner in the U.S. Department of Energy's 2005 international competition. The auction for the solar-powered, 640-square-foot home will begin Friday, April 7, at 12:05 p.m. on the Ag Quad, where the house is temporarily on display.

Open house is slated for April 1 and 2, 1 to 3 p.m., as well as Friday, April 7, 10 a.m. to noon, just before the sale.

The 2007 Solar Decathlon Team, which is starting to design its house for the 2007 competition in Washington, D.C., will sponsor a reception in the solar house immediately after the auction.
http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/March06/solar.house.auction.ssl.html
 
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  • #2
Looks like those solar panels will rip right off in a hurricane. Very small too.
 
  • #3
Mayhap those are for use in Nevada.
 
  • #4
BobK said:
Looks like those solar panels will rip right off in a hurricane. Very small too.
I am guessing angle can be adjusted depending on a position of the sun. During a hurricane panels can be lowered to horizontal position.
 
  • #5
Nice, but I already have a solar-powered house. It's a small (~1000 ft2) well-insulated log home with a wood stove and an oil furnace as a backup. The winter has been warmer that usual, but still, it's pretty nice to be able to heat your house on only 3 cords of wood and practically no oil. I have over 8 acres of solar-powered woodlot, and can probably heat this place as long as I live by cutting and burning only dead or damaged trees. I cut up a diseased white ash a couple of days ago and got close to 2/3 cord of wood for next winter, and there's a whole lot more where that came from. We can be a whole lot more self-sufficient as a species if we are willing to disperse instead of concentrating our populations, but I don't see that happening.
 
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  • #6
Aren't the areas that receive the most intense sunlight in pretty non-hurricaney areas of the country in the US? :)
 

Related to A Place in the Sun: Cornell Solar House Auction April 7

1. What is the purpose of the Cornell Solar House Auction?

The purpose of the Cornell Solar House Auction is to raise funds to support research, education, and outreach programs in sustainable energy and design at Cornell University.

2. When and where is the auction taking place?

The Cornell Solar House Auction will take place on April 7 at 7 PM EST on the Cornell University campus in Ithaca, New York.

3. What is being auctioned off at the event?

The main item being auctioned off at the event is a fully functional solar-powered house, designed and built by students at Cornell University. Additionally, there will be other sustainable and renewable energy products available for bidding.

4. How can I participate in the auction?

You can participate in the auction by attending the event in person or by bidding online through the auction website. Online bidding will be available in real-time during the event.

5. Who can bid on the solar house and other items at the auction?

Anyone can bid on the solar house and other items at the Cornell Solar House Auction. Bidders must be at least 18 years old and must register prior to bidding. Online bidding is open to bidders worldwide.

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