USMMA Alternative Power Program

NYIT/USMMA "SOLAR-HYDROGEN" HOUSE

Click here for a PICTORIAL TOUR of the house.
Photo: Stefano Peltara SD

SOLAR DECATHLON

The US Merchant Marine Academy and the New York Institute of Technology joined forces to build a home for the 2005 Department of Energy Solar Decathlon Competition. The Solar Decathlon is a competition which brings together 18 college and university student teams from around the globe to participate in ten contests that measure the ability to design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered home.

The competition took place right on the National Mall in Washington DC. Two rows of 9 houses were constructed on the grand lawn in between the Nation's Capitol and the Washington Monument. The opening ceremony included a ribbon cutting by the Energy Secretary and other senior US Government officials.

The competition was a great success and the house placed 5th out of the 18 teams. It is estimated that over 100,000 people attended the Solar Decathlon and visited the homes.

LONG LIVE OUR TEAM / NYIT - THANK YOU

While our focus is on the energy systems, this is also a story about the building of a team. It's an incredible team consisting of architects, interior designers, web designers, and engineers. This team spans both students and faculty alike from NYIT and the USMMA. "Green Machine / Blue Space", the name given to this house, is a vision realized by this group of amazing people. Only through the awesome dedication of all everybody involved, through anxiety, blood, sweat, and tears, could this have become a reality. To this team, to this family, we thank you. Please visit the GM/BS official website to read and experience our story.

Kings Point's focus was in designing
the SOLAR-HYDROGEN and Energy Systems.

HYDROGEN SYSTEMS

Most importantly, our home was in a class of its own. Of the 18 entries the NYIT/USMMA team was the only one who designed and built a home utilizing a hydrogen based energy storage system.

So how does it work? In a typical "off-grid" scenario a large battery bank is required to store energy. In a "solar-hydrogen" home energy is stored in the form of hydrogen gas. Therefore when it is dark out, instead of drawing energy from a battery bank, hydrogen gas is converted into electricity through a fuel-cell. Likewise, during the day when there is plenty of energy from the sun, water is converted into hydrogen gas through the use of a hydrogen generator.

KINGS POINT INVOLVEMENT

Assembly of the house at the end
of Tomb Field.

As a representative of the US Merchant Marine Academy, Greg Sachs became involved with NYIT's project last May. He was shortly thereafter elected Lead Engineer by the members of the NYIT team. Greg, in conjunction with Energy Management student and business owner David Schieren, took a directing role in designing and managing construction of all engineering systems (Electrical, Hydrogen, Water systems, et cetera).

The Alternative Power Program's involvement in this project represents a dedication to bringing alternative energy practices and awareness to an industry with a dire need to adapt to the future. "As marine engineers, we are in the business of power management," says Sachs. "We deal with all types of energy systems, including that of steam, electrical, nuclear, and mechanical. A natural extension of our expertise is to include the study and control of energy from renewable sources. It's time for us to reevaluate our conventional use of energy, and begin employing sustainable energy practices." - Excerpt from Winter 05 edition of Kings Pointer Magazine

NOTABLE MEDIA & OTHER EVENTS

Greg Sachs on camera with "This Old House"
explaining how a fuel-cell works.

US Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman visited the house 3 separate times on the National Mall. On the third time Greg had the opportunity to personally walk him and his wife through the home and discuss our unique hydrogen system and the partners that helped make it happen.
Tom Friedman (New York Times) conducted a thorough interview with NYIT graduate student David Schieren for an upcoming Discovery/Times documentary on energy.
"This Old House" recorded a feature for an upcoming episode with Greg Sachs and NYIT graduate student David Schieren about the Solar-Hydrogen systems.
On November 2, 2005, Greg Sachs played a key role in a testimony to the US House of Representatives Committee on Science, Energy Subcommittee. In this event the NYIT/USMMA team was one of only 4 schools asked to present their home before congress.
Significant media coverage including articles in the New York Times, Newsday, and the Washington Post, television interviews with Channel 12, Channel 55, radio interviews with CBS, and many more.
The DIY Network ("Do It Yourself") recently published a documentary on the Solar Decathlon. Significant footage was shot at the NYIT/USMMA house, much of which featured interviews with Greg and other member's commentary on the home and its hydrogen systems.

FUTURE OF THE HOUSE

The NYIT/USMMA 2005 Solar-Hydrogen home now has a two part mission:

The extensive research and development of solar-hydrogen/engineering systems and architectural design;
Using the home as a platform for public-relations events and exhibitions.

Our goal is to get the house's energy systems fully functional by the end of January. Shortly thereafter we hope to incorporate some nice landscaping and finish the decks. Additionally, through the installation of sensitive monitoring equipment, it is the intention of the DOE and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to conduct "real-life" analysis of the energy systems.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information on the house and the story behind it please visit:

Visit the House's official website at - http://iris.nyit.edu/solardecathlon/

The official DOE/NREL Solar Decathlon website at - www.solardecathlon.org

Write or call us!

Updated 4 January, 2006. G.Sachs