Reviewed by: Michael Seale
You can now explore UAB’s Solar House during the National Solar Tour, Oct. 5
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Have you ever wanted to explore the UAB Solar House—the sustainable, sun-powered home located near UAB’s campus?
If so, mark Saturday, October 5 on your calendar: UAB will be hosting a FREE tour of the building from 10AM to 2PM as part of the 29th annual American Solar Energy Society’s (ASES) National Solar Tour!
Read on to learn more about the UAB Solar House and the features of this sustainable community in Birmingham.
UAB’s Solar House: Promoting Sustainable Living since 2017
In 2017, a group of students designed and built the UAB Solar House to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Decathlon, a collegiate competition hosted by the DOE since 2002.
After the competition, the students disassembled the house and re-built it back in Birmingham. Now, the UAB Solar House is the centerpiece of the UAB Sustainability neighborhood project and demonstrates how easily sustainable living can be incorporated into existing homes.
Located at 1637 11th Ave S near campus, the 1,000-foot UAB Solar House is completely powered by solar energy and incorporates several energy-saving features to improve efficiency, such as:
- North-facing windows to avoid direct sunlight, which offers natural, indirect lighting and reduces the energy needed to heat or cool the house.
- Four ductless, energy-efficient air conditioning units throughout the house, making it easier to insulate the structure.
- Energy-efficient appliances + EPA-sponsored toilets that use 20% less water than normal toilets.
- Off-grid street lamps powered by solar and wind energy collected during the day.
- A tornado-safe room that can withstand winds up to 250MPH.
Thanks to these features, the UAB Solar House is completely “islanded”—not connected to the city’s electrical grid.
Explore the UAB Solar House on Saturday, Oct. 5
- What: UAB’s 4th Annual National Solar Tour
- When: Saturday, October 5th from 10AM to 2PM
- Where: UAB Solar House, 1637 11th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205
- Can’t make it? Schedule your own personal tour of the UAB Solar House by visiting their website and booking a timeslot.
For the fourth year in a row, UAB’s Solar House will host an open house to showcase the features of sustainable living.
The open house is part of the American Solar Energy Society’s (ASES) 29th National Solar Tour, an annual event that promotes renewable energy awareness and aims to increase the adoption of solar energy.
“This year will be UAB’s 4th year participating in the American Solar Energy Society’s (ASES) National Solar Tour.
The tour is a national event and we are thrilled to see more Alabama sites participating each year.
We encourage anyone interested in solar energy to take a look at the online map https://www.nationalsolartour.org/ and take a free tour of as many locations as they like.”
Bambi Ingram, Sustainability Manager, UAB Sustainability
Have you thought about incorporating sustainable energy sources into your own home?
With nearly 130 participating solar sites throughout the country, the ASES National Solar Tour is the largest grassroots solar and sustainable living event in the nation—the perfect opportunity to get answers to questions like:
- Is my home compatible with solar energy?
- Who are recommended installers for solar panels?
- How can I finance solar upgrades to my home?
- Is solar energy compatible with local laws?
Find answers to these questions (and more!) at UAB’s 4th Annual National Solar Tour + tag @uab_sustainability on Instagram with your photos from the UAB Solar House!
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