CHIP On View at California Science Center Through May 31

Inside CHIP (source: SCI-arch Caltech)

Last month, we wrote about CHIP (Compact Hyper-Insulated Prototype), the progressive zero net energy building created by students from the Southern California Institute of Architecture and California Institute of Technology.

Through a partnership with the California Science Center in Los Angeles, the house is now open to the public for free tours through May 31, 2012. Visitors can explore CHIP inside and out weekdays from 10 am - 1:30 pm, and weekends from 10 am - 4 pm.

Read more about the exhibit here. 

Meet CHIP, the iPad and Kinect Controlled Zero Net Energy Home

The CHIP home (source: SCI-Arc/Caltech)

Can you imagine a zero net energy house that actually feeds power into the grid using a bank of solar panels and exterior insulation, without sacrificing style? Students from the Southern California Institute of Architecture and California Institute of Technology did, and they call it CHIP (Compact Hyper-Insulated Prototype).

Created as an entry for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, CHIP led the SCI-Arc/Caltech team to the next stage of the competition, which culminated in a display of the most progressive new building and energy projects on the Mall in Washington, D.C. last year.

Up to 45 solar panels can be mounted on CHIP's roof, providing three times the energy than the home actually requires. LED lighting and wireless switches mean less power and fewer bulbs, while HVAC energy use is reduced by using a large water storage tank.

The house is high tech as well, with wireless lighting controlled and power consumption monitored with an iPad. The thick thermal envelop around the house is controlled by a Kinect sensor bar using gestures and pointing, meaning CHIP can turn on specific hardware when you sit in certain chairs, close blinds when it's bright, and automatically lower shutters to avoid passive heating.

Read more about CHIP here.