Rendering sourced from Illinois Solar Decathlon Team

For the last two years, a team of students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have been participating in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon Build Challenge Culminating in April 2021, the students’ goal is to bring a livable, affordable, solar-powered home to life.

The Illinois Solar Decathlon (Isd) team has dubbed their home the Adapthaus, as the home is specially designed to adapt for its occupants. Adapthaus uses a modular design supported by thoughtfully- and strategically-selected materials and technologies. For example, flexible furniture makes it easy for homeowners to convert a weekday home office to a weekend guest room. As the homeowner’s need for space changes, they can add modules to increase the indoor space, offload modules to reduce space or reconfigure and repurpose the home’s modules.

Where Mitsubishi Electric Comes In

For heating and air conditioning, the Isd team needed a high-performing, energy-efficient system able to run on solar energy and adjust comfort as occupant needs change. They selected a one-ton PEAD Horizontal-ducted Indoor Unit with an SUZ Outdoor Unit from Mitsubishi Electric integrated with a Build Equinox CERV2 energy recovery ventilator.

Together, these systems help the home meet both adaptability and green-building goals. Thanks to its climate-conscious construction, Adapthaus is a net-zero-energy home.

Looking to the Future

The Solar Decathlon was first hosted in 2002 and has been held biennially since. Though it is a collegiate competition, the decathlon’s reach spans the globe and garners international attention. Students from 23 countries have participated in the event and its European, Latin American, African, Chinese and Middle Eastern versions. The continued growth of the competition signifies a global shift toward renewable energy and each completed home promotes sustainability in new areas of the world. Not to mention, participating students receive valuable and unique training, preparing them to be leaders in the clean energy workforce.

We’re proud to have a Mitsubishi Electric system used in this educational and influential challenge, giving energy-efficient heating and air conditioning a platform on both the national and global stage.

To learn more about our innovative solutions, visit MitsubishiComfort.com.