For the 2023 Solar Decathlon Build Challenge, CU Boulder has partnered with Flatirons Habitat for Humanity and the City of Boulder to build a net-zero energy home as part of the Ponderosa Stabilization Program.

 

The Ponderosa community is a diverse, tight-knit community in north Boulder. After catastrophic flooding in 2013, the city of Boulder purchased the community to replace outdated infrastructure, reduce flood risk to the community, preserve long-term affordability, and introduce new energy-efficient affordable housing options. The goal of the CU Solar Decathlon team is to build the model single-family house that can be replicated throughout the remainder of the Ponderosa development and the broader affordable housing market on the front range. We will be building the 2nd home in Phase 1 of the project. 

 

From August 2021-June 2022, the CU Boulder Solar Decathlon team revamped the architecture and energy systems to improve occupant flow, maximize storage space, and vastly improve the energy efficiency of the home. Starting October 2023, the student-led team will be working under the supervision of Flatirons Habitat for Humanity to construct the net-zero energy building with the goal of completing the build by April 2023.