CHIP by SCI Arch and CalTech’s design
- By Ina
- Architecture
CHIP - Compact Hyper-Insulated Prototype is the project for Solar Decathlon created by SCI-Arch + CalTech’s design. As the sun was their most important factor the building has a specifique geometry and it is wrapped in a sun performative envelope. Its form is quite weird but valuable, the material used for wrapping has thermal performance, is puffy and cheap. The vinyl fabric mesh was fastened with zip ties, dowel rods, lag screws.
The exterior has realy high R-values due to its smart construction that includes the form and the flexible vinyl membrane. Architects found the optimal roof angle that could combine solar energy collection and a nice interior space without compartmentalizing.
The team combined in an excelent product reduced cost materials and performance.This project was one of the 19 university teams projects that participate at the competition. There were presented other interesting technologies, students have bright ideas, they have to be persevering and patient to see their project built.For example one of the team presented a larger project that included a whole house featuring complete air change in just 20 minutes. The creation of SCI-Arch + CalTech’s design was exceptional because it combined originality with low costs and high performance.
