http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 5:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
a US team loses the World Cup Match!]]>Jun 27th 2010 5:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 5:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
So did England?]]>Jun 27th 2010 5:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
I gave the world BP]]>Jun 27th 2010 6:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
Indeed and what a loss that was for us.]]>Jun 27th 2010 8:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
Why is everyone so anti-environmental?
Or all this is a bad joke.]]>Jun 27th 2010 8:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
We ran out of dead baby jokes, and these were more on-topic anyway.]]>Jun 27th 2010 10:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Yes!]]>Jun 28th 2010 12:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
Hey, I am not sold on global warming either. However, if these came in family size and were affordable, I would definitely have one. I am all for the advancement of technology, and energy independence in the US. Also, in the Texas summer, my electricity bill is over $300.]]>Jun 28th 2010 7:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
Ditto, I just bought a house, and efficiency in this Texas heat was an absolute selling point. Found a nice Perry home with super insulation, double-pane tinted glass, techshield, and an efficient AC. Along with nice ceiling fans in every room used only when I'm in them, I can keep the house at a comfortable 78oF and reduced my energy bill big time.

Gas stove and clothes drier (when not drying clothes outside) are also a huge savings, and first thing I did when moving in was to replace all bulbs with 13 watt CFLs. :D

To top it off, replaced the TV with a nice Samsung UNB6000 which uses only .12 watts per square inch, mated to the little Dell Zino HD which idles at a mere 23 watts.]]>Jun 28th 2010 9:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
I leave the water on while brushing my teeth.

I leave the water running as I put on shampoo because I like the warm water.

I have a custom built PC with a 2000 Watt power supply.

]]>Jun 27th 2010 5:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 5:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
Did the fabled Lord Vader comment on my comment?

I feel honored.

Go back to Bespin.]]>Jun 27th 2010 5:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 5:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
I Incinerate any Life form that speaks back to me letting the CO2 given off their burning corpse ravage their atmosphere]]>Jun 27th 2010 5:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 5:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 5:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 6:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Come on! You're fooling no one, everyone knows that your laser is based on a solar powered station...

Now if your laser would work on Diesel with fumes coming from the top of the Death Star that would be good enough]]>Jun 27th 2010 6:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
You don't fool anyone with your pseudo-hatred towards the environment. I remember when Death Star IV was the first carbon neutral device of mass destruction back in 2008--don't be ashamed of such a high accolade.

Now, we need to sit down and have a chat about your revamping your executor class star destroyers.]]>Jun 27th 2010 7:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
2000 Watts? What are you doing with that thing!? Did Folding@Home drop in popularity so you decided to pick up the slack?]]>Jun 27th 2010 10:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 5:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
Soon some horrible galactic disaster will occur and MomEarth will create new silly beings hopefully less arrogant.

A-MAM]]>Jun 27th 2010 5:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 5:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 5:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Also a mention of some sort of technology in football (soccer). I wonder what possible use that could have...]]>Jun 27th 2010 6:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 6:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 6:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Speaking of which: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2976901057904629042#

You americans should watch this :)]]>Jun 27th 2010 6:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
That is complete and utter nonsense when you factor in population size and industrial capacity of the economy.

Look at that and THEN compare the US to the huge polluters which right now is Australia, China, India, Taiwan, and Russia.

In some major Chinese cities the air quality is so bad that you can even taste the pollution, and I haven't been to India but a buddy just returned and said that likewise some areas are just industrial sewers, and would lead to immediate arrests if they tried to pull that off in the US.

Even from a mere landmass comparison, when you factor in that most countries in Europe easily fit inside Texas alone. So it is very misleading to compare the United State's 3,537,441 square miles of output that we compare not only to Western Europe's measly 380K square miles, but break down into tiny individual nation's like the UK and Austria which is ridiculous.]]>Jun 27th 2010 6:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Note this was like 10 years ago when Bush was first elected and part of a very satirical show, so don't get it wrong guys :)]]>Jun 27th 2010 6:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 6:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/env_pol_car_dio_per_cap-pollution-carbon-dioxide-per-capita

Land mass has little to do with the amount of pollution. You even contradict yourself by arguing it makes a difference and then referencing very large countries such as Russia and China as worse polluters.

As for air quality yes developing countries don't have the strict laws the US and other developed countries do but this is only one type of pollution and doesn't reflect the amount of greenhouse gases they emit.]]>Jun 27th 2010 7:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Pollution is as real and a problem as the "hole" in the ozone that has now become a dead issue soon pollution will be the same.
]]>Jun 27th 2010 8:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
Oh give me a break. If carbon dioxide is the worst pollutant your country puts out, you're doing a pretty good job.

I am talking REAL immediate dangers, chemicals dumped into lakes and sewers, contaminating ground water, causing acid rain, lead contamination, and other toxins released into the air, soil, and water other than just green house gases. Cmon now.]]>Jun 27th 2010 9:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
And the point was that no matter which angle you look at it from, the United States is by no means the worse polluter by a long shot. This is outright unadulterated bullshit. And since when is Australia a developing country?

Secondly, overpopulation is one of if not THE main cause of pollution worldwide. You can take the greenest ueber hippy living on tree mother and never bathing and show all the waste and consumption he has amassed over a lifetime, and it will still be mind blowing.

Europe, Japan, and India's overpopulation ARE problems, and so its frankly nonsense to completely disregard that with pure "per capita" comparisons.

Take India for example, it doesn't matter if they reduce their per capita pollution in half if they keep a birth rate that is more than double elsewhere. This is just common sense.

The US population size for the landmass is far more environmentally friendly, especially if we were to deport the 10 million plus illegal aliens violating US law, heh. =p]]>Jun 27th 2010 9:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
There is nothing wrong with setting a higher standard for wealthy countries, but I just get aggravated when people act like the United States is some eco-terrorist, when other than simple carbon dioxide emissions (hard to avoid that in a big industrialized economy) the US is and has been very environmentally aware with strict and enforced emissions controls and often on the forefront of new green technologies.

Can we do better, absolutely, and we should strive to, but give the United States props when props are do, and don't demonize her without justification.]]>Jun 27th 2010 9:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/ Good to see the US team win, but there should be a cost limit for each team, otherwise not only will the team with the most money win but the panels, systems and other parts may be too expensive for the general public to buy.
I am looking forward to a solar powered version of the new large hybrid airship that Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) will be developing for the US Army LEMV contract. They can use the same hull as it is flatter than a normal airship which gives a much greater area of panels.
Regards JB (www.airship.me LTA comedy site)]]>Jun 27th 2010 6:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 6:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
Just saying...]]>Jun 27th 2010 6:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
last year, solar decathlon 2009 in Washington d.C. Team Germany won the contest. Virginia tech also was participation in the competition with the same house !! They only got on the 13th rank at the end (SAME HOUSE!!)
sorry, but it's not realy fair to participate 2 times with the same house. all the other Universitys developed a complete new one.

if somebody wants to see it: www.solardecathlon2009.de

greets]]>Jun 27th 2010 6:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 7:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 7:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/08/AR2008030802595.html

So I'm not sure how proud I'd be of this win.]]>Jun 27th 2010 9:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 9:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/Jun 27th 2010 9:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
If a "eco-house" saves you about $100 x month (electric bill) but the initial cost of this house is over $20k (over the price of a regular house) then green house will become economically inviable project.

Plus, to self generate electricity have some hidden cost, for example maintenance and battery replacement.



]]>Jun 27th 2010 10:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
The environmentally friendly and sustainable option is rarely the cheapest.

The point is that it pays off in the long term by improving society's quality of life. It would be cheaper to just urinate on the side of your house and dump your trash out of the window than bother with bagging and relocation and recycling and the like... for a while anyway.

Ground water pollution, poor air quality, ozone damage, wildlife impact, depletion of natural resources, and other such hazards do have real measurable costs associated with them as well. The only difference is thinking in terms of decades instead of years and that society as a whole is fronting the bill instead of you as an individual. ]]>Jun 27th 2010 10:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/inhabitats-week-in-green-a-us-team-wins-the-solar-decathalon/
While the costs of the house won't change over the next 20 years the ongoing costs of running it will definitely go up. What may save you $100/mo this year may save you $200/mo in 5 years.]]>Jun 28th 2010 6:10AM