1000 x 90

Appalachian’s Solar Decathlon Europe Team Reciprocite Assembles Project This Morning at Headquarters

by Madison V. Fisler

March 5, 2014. With less than two months until the structure ships to France to compete in Solar Decathlon Europe 2014, the Appalachian State Solar Decathlon Team, Team Reciprocite, started assembling the structure of their unique design this morning at 8 a.m.

Getting an early start, many members of the team were present with the crane crew to assemble their solar structure design for testing before it ships out May 1. 

The idea for the “Maison Reciprocity” is a multiple story structure, where one story would house commercial property, one would hold habitable spaces, and flex and greenspace would be included at the top.

Constructed at the Solar Decathlon Headquarters here in Boone, the structure will be built, tested, disassembled, packaged and shipped all the way to Europe, where a team of 30 will rebuild the entire structure in just ten days. With limited time, manpower and resources, the team will put their structure back together in order to be judged and critiqued during the competition.

“All of this has to fit in 40-foot shipping containers on a boat,” said Mark Bridges, communications manager for Team Reciprocite.  

More information on Team Reciprocite’s progress will be updated as new information becomes available. 

Check out the Team Reciprocite 2014 Facebook page here.

For more information, check out the previous articles that follow the team’s progress since the beginning. 

ASU Solar Decathlon Team Continues Toward Completion (Photos Included)

Team Reciprocite Continues Construction (Photos Included)

ASU’s Solar Decathlon Team Begins Upward Construction at Last! (Photos Included)

ASU’s SDE Team Hosts “Parking Day” (Photos Included)

Maison Reciprocity Officially Begins Construction (Photos Included)

Check out the photos of the assembly this morning.

Photos by Madison V. Fisler

Getting ready to hoist the top portion
Getting ready to hoist the top portion

 

A large crane was employed to lift the top portion onto the bottom floor
A large crane was employed to lift the top portion onto the bottom floor

 

Almost ready for lift off
Almost ready for lift off

 

The interior of one of the top portions
The interior of one of the top portions

 

Volunteers get the top portion ready to be lifted
Volunteers get the top portion ready to be lifted

 

Going on up!
Going on up!

 

Halfway there
Halfway there

 

Almost there
Almost there

 

Up and over
Up and over

 

Setting the top portion down on the bottom floor is a precise process
Setting the top portion down on the bottom floor is a precise process

 

Volunteers ensure that the parts come together seamlessly
Volunteers ensure that the parts come together seamlessly

 

Team members ensure that the pieces fit just right
Team members ensure that the pieces fit just right

 

Each piece fits like a puzzle
Each piece fits like a puzzle

 

Finally lowered down completely
Finally lowered down completely

 

Finally finished with this piece.
Finally finished with this piece.