IBEW/NECA partnership provides financial and
mentoring support for student-created solar house
St. Louis – An August 10, 2012 groundbreaking launched Missouri University of Science and Technology in an international solar house collegiate competition. This year the effort will have the support of Missouri’s most skilled electricians and electrical contractors.
The Electrical Connection will sponsor and mentor the 60-student Missouri University of Science and Technology solar house team competing in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2013.
The Electrical Connection is a partnership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1 and the St. Louis Chapter, National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA).
The team is also sponsored by Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562 and Sheet Metal Workers Local 36.
“We’ve met the students and faculty on the team and are most impressed with their dedication to deliver the highest efficiency solar home,” said Jim Curran, executive vice president of the Electrical Connection. “They represent the future of thoughtful engineering, and we are pleased to offer our practical knowledge and experience in renewable energy installations to help Missouri University of Science and Technology bring home a winner in the Solar Decathlon for the state of Missouri.”
Missouri University of Science and Technology will be competing with 20 other schools worldwide, including the Vienna University of Technology in Vienna, Austria; University of Southern California; University of Calgary in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Stanford University; Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic; several teams pooling talent from multiple universities; and more.
“Our team is tasked with coming up with the best strategies for engineering, energy efficiency and adaptable living,” said Emily Vandivert, project manager for the solar house team and a senior from Maryville, Mo. “We’re delighted with the Electrical Connection’s support and will be tapping into the expertise of its members to help us achieve our goal.”
Missouri University of Science and Technology has built four solar houses in previous competitions, all held in Washington, D.C. Those homes are now located at Missouri University of Science and Technology’s Solar Village.
In 2013, the Solar Decathlon will be hosted by the Orange County Great Park in Irvine, Calif. The Missouri University of Science and Technology solar house team is finishing up design on the 1,000-square-foot house on campus property. It will then be shipped to the contest site and reassembled. The houses are evaluated by judges in 10 categories encompassing affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency. More information on the competition can be found at www.solardecathlon.gov.
Members of the Electrical Connection provide safe and reliable electrical construction, maintenance, repair and replacement services across Missouri, the nation and the world. More is online at www.electricalconnection.org
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