GRoW House

ROLE

From the summer of 2012 until the competition in late 2015, the entire school worked towards the completion of this home. Though my journey with this project ended when I graduated in 2014, I worked on this project in developing the concept, through design development, and into constructability. I was a part of the team that got the project accepted into the competition and am a proud member of this team.

DESCRIPTION

As part of a team of twelve students, I helped design and write a successful proposal for the University at Buffalo's entry in the 2015 U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon Competition. The GRoW House — short for Garden, Relax, or Work — blends passive strategies with efficient conditioning to create adaptable living spaces.

The design contrasts a glass-enclosed, passively conditioned sunspace with a super-insulated, efficiently conditioned core, allowing the home to respond to seasonal changes. Rooted in Buffalo, NY, the GRoW House is optimized for the local climate, uses locally sourced materials, and encourages vegetable gardening to reduce energy use and address food insecurity. Its massing is organized into three distinct thermal zones — the Garden Box, Relax Box, and Work Box — each designed to support comfort and efficiency year-round.