A solar home designed by a team of Pennsylvania State University students and faculty took fourth place yesterday in the U.S. Department of Energy's international Solar Decathlon.
The modular home, called MorningStar, has three parts - a technical core with a mechanical room, kitchen and bathroom; a living space; and a breezeway between the two that allows for circulation of people and air.
It has solar power, solar hot water, LED lighting, energy-efficient appliances and more. It is clad in reclaimed Pennsylvania black slate and incorporates recycled Pennsylvania steel, Pennsylvania hardwood, and a milk bottle wall.
