BeauSoleil: Construction Begins

Solar Decathlon Update: Every two years 20 university teams are chosen, based on proposals, to design an all-solar home and assemble it on the National Mall in Washington DC for public viewing and judging. Check back each Wednesday as the NAV Blog reports on the process of the design and construction of BeauSoleil, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's entry. For more info about the project, visit their website. And check out a short film about the project.


A report from the field:

It is a very exciting time for TEAM BeauSoleil. We started the framing of our floor today and are already near completion. The shop drawings for our NanaWall door system are almost complete. Our cypress is also almost here for us to see. We have many new faces that are already hard at work on the all aspects of our project. The new fourth year studio students have done a thorough research on what we have already designed and already started working on new design tasks and research. Many new students in other classes have also started their great contribution to the project with building, LEED research, material research, and design. All of our TEAM BeauSoleil officers have returned and have hit the ground running on material purchasing, public relations, research, building and continue designing every last detail of our home.

Many of us have been part of TEAM BeauSoleil for over a year, and yet we still have a sincere passion for what we are doing. We still believe in our mission of designing a uniquely regional work of architecture with a balanced technological hybrid of both passive and active systems that can serve as a marketable prototype for housing in Louisiana. We are reaching our goal of educating TEAM members about sustainable design, construction methods, and professional practice. We are also still working hard to increase awareness regionally, nationally and worldwide about the need for resilient and sustainable emergency housing in the form of readily available, long-term housing options that are sustainable and affordable, environmental responsibility, and our amazing Louisiana culture.

Please, stay in touch with us and our progress. There are many great things to come!

Gretchen LaCombe Vanicor - TEAM BeauSoleil