TreeHAUS

TreeHAUS is Virginia Tech's residential concept for the 2019 Dolat Decathlon Design Competition.

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

And now it's time to celebrate... #SolarDecathlonDesign. #SolarDecathlon2019.

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

We WON the GRAND JURY prize! Can't believe it!!! This team continues to amaze me more day after day.

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

We did it! First place in our division!!! So much gratitude for everyone who supported us along the way! #TreeHAUS.

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

#TREESFORTHEFUTURE. Tow of Blacksburg has a little tree nursery near the rec center where the grow native saplings for local landscaping projects. Good to know our town values the forest and is helping to fill the local canopy with native trees. #SolarDecathlonDesign.

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

Our #ARchitectural #model will be a #canvas for #digital detail through augmented reality. This is just a very early prototype. Stay tuned for our presentation in Colorado on April 13th! #AR #SolarDecathlonDesign.

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

Dave Jacke's #EdibleForestGardens was a huge inspiration for us in developing our #edible,#agroforestry #landscape. This #Persimmon guild is designed to thrive through mid/late succession. Our hope is to help the edible landscape take back the
#land around #TreeHAUS over time.

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

Thanks for the shout out from @VT_CS and #DiscoveryAnalyticsCenter DAC for the recognition of our first place finish in round one of the #VTBlockchain Challenge. Busy now building our simulation to take home round 2! @VTEngineering. #PoweredByEOSIO #EOSIO #DApp.

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

Our augmented reality model is up and running. Now we just have to make it #beautiful and overlay it on our #architectural #model. #AR #ARchitecture. #SolarDecathlonDesign. Digital/Physical #TreeHAUS

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

Nothing like taking a walk with the buds beginning to bloom outside after submitting a #SolarDecathlonDesign report. So easy to get swept up in the stress of the work and forget that the essence of what we are designing is so calm and steady and peaceful and free. #Perspective.

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

Dr. John Seiler took a walk with us through the Crumpacker woods today. He earned the nickname Dr. Dendro here at Virginia Tech for being an expert in #tree physiology and #forest #ecosystems. We can now be confident that #TreeHAUS will indeed regenerate its surrounding ecology!

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

Help support our student trip to the finals of the Solar Decathalon Design Competition! https://t.co/7AS1bXt30L

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

#Brain/#Cloud by John Baldessari. This image from Harvard Design Magazine's Into the #Woods captures the type of #mindful #intelligence that defines #TreeHAUS #operation and #controls. The #technology goes unnoticed as if it were already present in #nature. #SolarDecathlonDesign.

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

This bi-metal #coil passively opens and closes vents based on changes in #temperature. #TreeHAUS will be constantly in #tune with its #environment through the incorporation of these #passive techniques. #SolarDecathlonDesign.

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

Dr. Cox shows us the #rig inside his GkW #bio-gas #generation #facility. Turns out just adjusting the #fuel-air ratio is enough to turn almost any #engine into a bio-gas engine. This one right here used to be in a #Ford #truck! #SolarDecathlonDesign.

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

This #incinerator at the Christiansburg #landfill used to burn all the #methane #emissions on site. Now GkW Energy diverts a portion of it to a bio-gas generator. The fuel burns #clean and sends what would be wasted #energy right back to AEP's #grid. #SolarDecathlonDesign.

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

Dr. Steve Cox shares some incredible insights on food waste and #anaerobicdigestion in the New River Valley. Virginia Tech produces about 500 tons of #organic #waste per year and currently pays to haul it away. When will we realize #food waste is #FREEFUEL? #SolarDecathlonDesign

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

#Agroforestry #landscaping #plan in the making. The #challenge is #cultivating a #productive, low-maintenance #forest around the #TreeHAUS without dominating the #solar resource. Smaller fruit #trees and companion guilds will lead the way! #SolarDecathlonDesign.

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

The pattern repeats itself. #Branches and #roots follow similar #form just like the #TreeHAUS #interior #reflects its #exterior #environment. #SolarDecathlonDesign.

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

Our #site as seen from the Headquarters of the #VirginiaTechFoundation in downtown #Blacksburg. We cannot thank VTF CEO John Dooley enough for meeting with us about the land his organization owns and helping us create a plan for getting #TreeHAUS built. #SolarDecathlonDesign.

[TreeHAUS @treeha_us]

Great to meet with Kurt Luecke from Floodproofing(dot)com to discuss our #resilience #strategy and their #SmartVent line of products. Even though our site is outside Zone A we can still do some simple things to mitigate #flood #risks for #TreeHAUS. #SolarDecathlonDesign.