What: After years of research and development contributed by over 100 Virginia Tech students and faculty, the FutureHAUS team has officially built the world’s best solar home – one completely powered by solar energy, loaded with smart technology, responsive to voice commands, and built in a factory to fit budget and lifestyle needs.

To showcase the award-winning solar home, Virginia Tech students and faculty will be onsite in Times Square during NYCxDESIGN, New York City’s annual event that celebrates the world of design and attracts designers from across the globe.

Background: The lone American team earned a first-place victory over 14 other selected teams and more than 60 total entrants of the 2018 Solar Decathlon Middle East, a competition launched by the United Arab Emirates’ Dubai Electricity & Water Authority and the United States Department of Energy. The global competition challenged teams to research, design and build the next generation of smart and sustainable solar housing. Read the full press release here.

Visuals: FutureHAUS sits on a 2,800 square foot plot with patio/garden. The 900 square foot house is solar powered and equipped with 67 futuristic devices – auto sliding doors, smart mirrors, and a sink that pours the exact water amount. View video preview here.

Who: Virginia Tech’s Joseph Wheeler, architecture professor and lead faculty of FutureHAUS, along with student team members

Where: Times Square Pedestrian Plazas, between West 46th Street & 7th Ave, New York, NY

When: FutureHAUS will open to the public on Friday, May 10 at 4 p.m. Public viewing and tours will be offered daily from May 10–22 between 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Press Credentials: to request an interview or schedule a tour of the FutureHAUS, please contact Shannon Andrea in the Virginia Tech media relations office at sandrea@vt.edu or 703-399-9494.

FutureHAUS is supported by DEWA, Dominion, Kohler, Woodmode, Sugatsune, Weyerhaeuser, Hanbury, Linak and DXA.

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