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SOLAR DECATHLON V
FleX House10
TEAM FLORIDA
FleX House is as variable as the Florida seasons, cycling from open-air pavilion to tight, humidity-controlled shelter with sliding cypress panels providing shade and protection.


Before air conditioning, Floridians looked to tropical breezes and shade aids for indoor comfort. Team Florida has updated “the wisdom of Florida vernacular design with modern technology.”


Durable, adjustable, louvered shutters fabricated from native Florida cypress provide the shade. Some panels glide. Native cypress is naturally resistant to insects and weathering.


Twenty-two photovoltaic panels power the house. Each pair of panels has one micro inverter which the designers explain “will optimize performance so that all panels perform at maximum output, improving the overall efficiency of the array.” The micro inverters allow pairs of panels to be monitored and operate independently.


 


Louvers, sliding panels and windows all moderate house temperature naturally. A desiccant duct system removes humidity; the only visible element is the system’s waterfall.


TEAM: Team Florida was a collaboration of four major Florida research universities: University of South Florida, Florida State University, the University of Central Florida and the University of Florida. Team Web site: www.flexhouse.org/team-florida/

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