Like the University of Minnesota Team, students from the University of Illinois wanted to design a solar home with a familiar shape. Named Gable Home, the solar home looks a lot like a traditional farmhouse from the American Midwest. But, unlike an ordinary farmhouse, Gable Home produces up to four times more energy than it uses.
Gable Home gets much of its energy-efficiency from optimized windows, insulation, and appliances. The interior is constructed with structural bamboo. On the exterior are the solar panels and wood siding salvaged from a 100-year-old barn.
