Our last LEAP experience brought us back to Penn State’s campus to tour the natural fusion solar decathlon house for 2009. We met Brian Goodykoontz, construction project manager, and Kyle Macht, team leader, on-site. Both Brian and Kyle graduated in May with degrees in architectural engineering, and they hold leadership positions in the Penn State Solar Decathlon Team 2009.
The team brings together multiple disciplines to design, build, and operate an energy-efficient solar powered home. We had the oportunity to ask these knowledgeable leaders about the process. We also discussed an important upcoming event. In October the team of 190 students will compete in the 2009 Solar Decathlon sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. The house will travel to Washington, D.C. (quite a process in its own right) and compete against teams from as far away as Germany. The competition takes place on the National Mall from October 9-17. You can learn more by going to www.solar.psu.edu and www.naturalfusion.org.
Kyle and Brian want you to know that if you’re in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and you’d like to help, they need you! Contact Kyle at kpm158@psu.edu.