1. Concrete

The first of its kind in the Solar Decathlon, the ENJOY House is completely built from precast insulated concrete panels. Typical homes in the United States are built with wood frames and must be finished with various other materials. ENJOY's concrete panels are all-in-one modular units that eliminate the need for additional trades on the building site. Concrete is low-maintenance and durable, and does not require repair or replacement. It can resist weather, chemicals, air infiltration, airborne moisture, abrasion and insects; and because concrete does not require finishes it contains low to negligible levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), making it a healthier alternative to standard construction. Concrete is also inflammable, providing maximum protection against fire. Concrete contains natural materials and recycled industrial byproducts such as fly ash that significantly reduce its carbon footprint. It also has the potential to reduce the urban heat island effect because of its light reflective surfaces. The greatest benefit to having a concrete house is the reduced energy used to heat and cool the space. Due to concrete's high thermal mass properties, heat transfer is drastically slowed, moderating temperature fluctuations.

The house deploys a system of reinforced concrete panels in the roof, walls and floor. The roof is made up of 6 panels and a large beam nicknamed "the boat" connecting the panels. The exterior wall enclosure system is comprised of 10 unique panels. The interior walls consist of the core and a coat closet. The floor is made up of 4 panels and is designed as a "tray" in order to minimize footing depth.

TThe construction process of concrete, known as casting, is much different from the common stick frame process. All functional and unique structural components that are a part of a wall must be built into the wall prior to casting. Despite these challenges, it provides the designer with unlimited flexibility in surface treatment, color, and shape, making it a very versatile material to work with. Also, because formwork can be reused, the modules can be replicated for mass production making the house cheaper and available to a larger market.

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2. Solar Technology

PHOTOVOLTAICS: The process of converting light into electricity is known as photovoltaics. In order for this process to occur, the material in use must exhibit a property of absorbing photons (particles) of light and releasing electrons. This property is known as the photoelectric effect. The free electrons that are captured result in a flow of electric currents that can be used for electricity. Solar panels (PVs), composed of individual solar cells, are created specifically for generating photovoltaic power. Inside the solar cells, you can find a thin semiconductor wafers sandwich that is specially treated to have a positive side and a negative side which forms an electric field. When the solar cells are exposed to sunlight, electrons are knocked loose from the atoms in the semiconductor material on the negative side and get caught in an electrical current formed between the two sandwiched semiconductor wafers, which produces a direct electrical (DC) current. In the ENJOY house, each PV module is equpped with a microinverter that immediately converts the DC power to AC, which can then be used instantaneously by the house or sent to the grid. Microinverters allow the system to be modular, scalable, and efficient, since each module works independently and delivers maximum power. Wireless communications allows data from every module to be displayed on a webpage.

Passive design strategies are an integral part of the ENJOY House. The use of these strategies minimize the need for active HVAC and save energy.

Optimal Solar Angle: The roof is canted at 25 degrees for maximum solar exposure throughout the day.

Cross Ventilation: The depressed roof angles and operable windows allow excess heat to flow out.

Calibrated Overhang: The roof overhang is calculated to allow for solar gain on the southern facade during the winter months and shading during the summer months.

Thermal Barrier: The thermal envelope is generated by thick layers of concrete sandwiched around a continous layer of expanded polystyrene insulation.

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3. Engineering

Engineering design in the ENJOY house was guided by the desire to increase comfort and reduce energy consumption while using affordable, commercially available equipment. Innovation comes from the seamless, complimentary integration of the mechanical and electrical systems. A centralized computer monitors and controls the house's climate, lighting, and entertainment, making a home that is intuitive, easy to use, and encourages its owners to think about energy in a whole new way.

ANNUAL ENERGY USAGE

ENERGY SAVED: 49.66%

ENERGY SAVED: 86.30%

ENERGY SAVED: 66%

ENERGY SAVED: 0.91%

ENERGY SAVED: 68%

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4. Control Systems

A Building Management System (BMS) is like the nervous system of your body; a central computer, or brain, controls the house systems by sending them low-voltage signals based on information it receives from sensors. The sensors monitor the temperature, humidity, and water and energy usage of the house over time. The BMS then makes decisions on which systems to operate based on given ambient conditions, the occupant's preferences, and the daily schedule. Over time a BMS allows for significant energy savings for the resident.

The Building Management System allows for the user to wirelessly control the home from their phone, tablet, or personal computer. The wireless control also allows for the resident to activate any of the house systems on their commute back home, increasing convenience and maximizing home comfort. All-encompassing BMS are seen in most industrial and commercial buildings but rarely on a residential scale. A sophisticated control system allows ENJOY house to take advantage of passive climate control strategies whenever possible, but recognizes when active heating or cooling is required. The first base-load mode relies on a radiant slab and associated passive features, whereas the second, peak-load mode relies on an air handler for quicker response.

The ENJOY house BMS utilizes a custom designed interface that both displays large amounts of information about the home and allows the user to define AV and climate setting preferences. It gathers and combines data from three distinct monitoring systems, which allows the resident to have complete control over the house's performance in one convenient, visually pleasing package.

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