BeauSoleil: Hot, Hot, Hot !!!

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...

We’ve kicked it into high-gear and have been working about nine hours a day (with a lunch break of course) to bring you guys the solar home of the future! The exterior is nearly finished-out and we’ve gotten the sheetrock ready for being finished and painted!

The transitional porch is nearly done as well! The aluminum frame is completed and the plumbers finished installing the fin-based, water heating system on Friday.

Monday the polycarbonate roof goes on and the roof is completed!!! All that’s left is the Nanawall system and finishing-up the cypress and bug screen!

Sorry for having so many exclamation points in this update. Things are just really exciting right now. It’s definitely worth a visit, preferably on Tuesdays!
Have a BeauSoleil Day!

Chris Dufreche, TEAM BeauSoleil


Some BeauSoleil Facts and Figures...

* although the home is only 800 sf, the surrounding porch is another 1700 sf
* the IPE wood (FSC Certified-Sustainably grown) deck on the porch should last 100 years
* the millwork shop which milled our siding for the rainscreen is going to name our unique siding profie "BeauSoleil"
* the UL Ragin Cajun Football team lent us their sideline PortaCoolers to us to help keep the students cool in our warehouse during construction. Thanks Caoch Bustle!
* The interior doors for the BeauSoleil Home will be made from reclaimed cypress and polycarbonate vision lites
* we are using paperless sheetroack in the bathroom of the BeauSoleil Home to reduce the possibility of mold growth
* the aluminum solar fins manufactured by Begneaud for us will be coated with a special silicon paint to increase the amount of heat they will collect