Appalachian State University has teamed up with Eastman Chemical Co. to integrate one of Eastman’s products into the university’s entry in the Solar Decathlon Europe 2014 competition. ASU’s Team Réciprocité will use Eastman’s Heat Mirror insulating glass in the construction of its energy-independent, row house concept Maison Reciprocity.
Maison Reciprocity is an innovative reimagined two-bedroom, two-bath row house comprised of three components: the Urban Shell, an energy-efficient structural envelope; the CHORD, a building systems core; and the living Brise-Soleil, the building skin components that produce energy and provide shelter. Team Réciprocité’s goals are to build a market-ready, affordable and adaptable house with a focus on the community.
“The choice of working with Eastman was clear for Team Réciprocité,” said Jason Miller, faculty director of Design. “Eastman Chemical is an international company producing globally relevant and sustainable building products in our own backyard. The opportunity for a collaborative relationship was evident from the beginning.”
Maison Reciprocity features Eastman’s Heat Mirror insulating glass (IG). Set into door and window frames provided by Ply Gem, Heat Mirror technology suspends one or more lightweight films inside the airspace of the IG unit to create multiple super-insulating cavities —without adding weight — that buffer against heat loss or heat gain. Heat Mirror IG helps to reduce energy costs by enabling “windows that insulate like walls” with center-of-glass thermal performance up to R20 (.05 U-value), while also maintaining a quiet and comfortable internal environment and protecting the home’s furnishings from fading by blocking over 99.5 percent of harmful UV-rays.
“This opportunity is a reflection of Eastman’s ongoing commitment to sustainability,” said Godefroy Motte, Eastman’s senior vice president and chief sustainability officer. “Projects such as the Solar Decathlon demonstrate how business and education can partner together to advance innovative, sustainable solutions.”
The Maison Reciprocity row house will compete along with 19 other entries in the prestigious Solar Decathlon Europe 2014, an international competition that challenges student teams to design and build an energy-independent solar house. Appalachian State University is one of only three U.S. universities selected to participate in the June 2014 competition in Versailles, France.
For more information on Maison Reciprocity, please visit the website; like the project on Facebook or follow the conversation on Twitter using #sde2014.