ConCREATE
Dedicated to the process and practice of community design, Con-create seeks to make “places” for and with local communities and organizations. In attempts to make the field of design more inclusive, Con-create takes a participatory, human-centered approach– actively engaging all of its stakeholders and users not only in its result, but in process. Through the facilitation of a series of community engagement workshops, we work to understand the community’s needs, values, and vision for the future, and work collaboratively with community members to develop design solutions. By empowering and centering voiced needs and experiences, Con-create seeks to create spaces to foster community, identity and long-term sustainability– responsive and resilient to future needs.
Solar Decathlon
The Solar Decathlon is an international competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy where student teams design, fund, and construct full-size, solar-powered, net-positive energy homes. Pushing the boundaries of sustainable living to address the effects of climate change around the world, members of the Solar Decathlon team are challenged to design and build a house that blends together 10 different overarching principles-- Architecture, Engineering, Energy Performance, Financial Feasibility & Affordability, Resilience, Innovation, Market Potential, Comfort & Environmental Quality, Operations, and Presentation. Our projects are centered on mitigating climate change, primarily focusing on the efficient use of resources, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, and alleviating rampant environmental injustice and inequity. With the goal of creating solutions to environmental concerns and addressing issues of affordability and rapid urbanization, we work to create housing that is not only environmentally sustainable, but will also work towards improving social and economic sustainability.We aim to not only implement these environmentally and economically sustainable housing alternatives, but to also foster creativity, educational opportunities, professional experience, and radically progressive thinking.
