lumenHAUS — Virginia Tech’s entry to the 2009 Department of Energy Solar Decathlon — is a 600-square-foot steel-framed glass box with two layers of sliding panels. The inner panel is made up of polyethylene filled with expanded silica gel, a translucent and highly insulating material. The outer is a stainless steel weather screen with perforations that allow for sunlight penetration. Both adjust to optimize energy usage and can be controlled via an iPhone app. Did we mention that it’s currently sitting in the middle of Times Square? How cool is that?
Get a closer look after the jump.
[via A/N Blog]