Basics.
Team:
40+ Students
Role:
Controls Team Lead, Light Architect
Dates:
September 2015 - October 2016
Location:
Santa Clara University
Technologies Used:
Java, C++, Raspberry Pi, Philips Hue, Nest Protect
The Project
The rEvolve House is a completely off the grid house that is only 238 square feet. The rotating deck design allows a more spacious living area when the house is parked while simultaneously following the sun to increase the efficiency of the solar panels by 30%. The house comes with simple control systems that allows the user to customize the lights in the house as well as view the energy consumption. The house is also dog friendly as we built this home for Operation Freedom Paws, an organization that pairs veterans with rescue dogs and trains the dogs to become service dogs tailored to that veteran's specific needs.
How It Works
This house uses eight 330 Watt Sunmodule solar panels to provide the electricity and stores the excess energy in salt water batteries. The house uses Colossun Solar Tracking Ring to rotate the whole house to track the sun, which is the first time this system was used to rotate the house instead of the solar panels.
Awards
Best Tiny House (Overall) by SMUD
Main Categories: Best Energy Consumption, Best Communications
Sub Category Awards: Best Day Lighting, Best Integrated Lighting, Best Interior Design, Best Kitchen, Best Program, Best Tour
Cabinets made from recycled wood from SCU's basketball floor
Hidden storage under the bedroom floor
Wet bathroom
Eight 330 Watt Sunmodule solar panels
Saltwater batteries
Features
House rotates to track the sun
Murphy Bed (Pulls out from the wall)
Toe Kick Drawers
35 sq. ft wet bathroom
Dry-flush toilet
Full size kitchen
What I did.
In this project, I was the controls team leader, delegating tasks for each of the members, designing the overall system deployed in the house and making sure all of the parts come together perfectly as a whole. I created the infrastructure for the Internet of Things system within the house with a special focus on the lighting and entertainment system. I also developed the front end UI for our integrated 7-inch touch control panels using the Raspberry PI and handled testing of the system and making sure everything runs smoothly over a few weeks of operation. In addition, my team also helped with construction so lots of extra hours were put in hammering nails into walls.
In a tiny house, there isn’t that much room and the living areas tend to blend together. Our team saw lights as a way to create space and shape the mood of the house. By using Philips Hue lighting, we were able to do this by creating different mood lighting in different parts of the house, which then separates the spaces without putting up barriers. A practical example would be if one is watching movies in the living area while someone is trying to cook, the lighting could be dimmed on one side to create a movie theater experience while the other side would still provide ample lighting for cooking.
