A Week Away

Adam and I traveled to New Orleans for the holiday season. Therefore, there is not much to report about the home. However, when we returned, the HVAC was still inoperable. Thankfully, Austin, Texas has warmed up a bit, so the passive design of the building and the envelop (SIP panels) is enough to keep the home temperature at a range of 65-69 degrees. For us, this is a perfect temperature.

The type of system that the house integrates is called a mini-split system, Mitsubishi Electric Mr. Slim http://www.mrslim.com/.
This system consist of a compressor outside and two air handlers/vents. In basic terms, this system by passes the need for duct work, thus reducing the associated cost with leakage and poor instillation. The controls are very user friendly and when the system is working, it effectively heats/cools the house and can be as efficient as a 18 SEER system.

The 2005 SNAP House

The SNAP House was designed and built by students at the University of Texas at Austin. Go to the following website to learn more about the features of the home and the project which competed in the Department of Energy Solar Decathlon Competition.

http://www.ar.utexas.edu/utsolard/2005/livehere.html

Some Historical Pictures of the Solar and Harden Duplex

Attached are several pictures of the amazing volunteers who made this project possible. If you have been involved in this project in some way and would like to post a story about your experience, please contact us at slperrone1@yahoo.com

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