TAFE NSW and the University of Wollongong got together this month for a trade industry night to showcase where their joint Solar Decathlon team is at with the construction of the Desert Rose house.
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The event was held on site at TAFE where the sustainable house is being built by students from both...
The construction is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon competition of 10 contests designed to challenge student teams to design and build full-size, solar-powered houses.
The winning team will be the one that best blends design excellence and smart energy production with innovation, market potential and energy and water efficiency.
After wining the competition in 2013 TAFE NSW and UOW again decided to enter into a partnership to design and construct an energy efficient house. Their theme is a House for Life. Desert Rose is designed to promote well-being and adapt to the occupants’ needs as they age.
TAFE NSW managing director Jon Black said it was great to witness first hand a combined student project with such a real WOW factor. “To be able to bring practice and theory together with collaboration between university and TAFE is a great model. I don’t like duplication and overlapping. By collaborating with the university we can bring the best of both together”.
TAFE NSW Solar Decathlon/Desert Rose project manager and trades and technology teacher Tony Schaefer said the project was a priceless opportunity for students.. He said the project fostered a collaborative spirit between aspiring engineers and tradespeople, encouraging them to work together during design and construction, improving communication and reducing mistakes.
“This is a fantastic experience for students and teachers from both institutions. It adds to the big picture aspect of sustainability in the building and construction industry by creating a greater understanding of each other’s roles, which leads to less resource wastage.”
Guests at the trade night included sponsors and housing industry representatives.
A Learning Hub was erected in F Block outside the construction zone to display, plans of the house, story boards, models and audio visual aids including some of the innovations that are being incorporated into the house.
