Penn State Solar Decathlon team ready to make Natural Fusion a reality
Natural fusion is what powers the sun, so it's fitting that Penn State's 2009 Solar Decathlon team -- one of 20 nationwide that will compete in October on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for the top solar-powered house -- would dub its entry Natural Fusion. But for the Penn State team, the name is a concept aimed at building an energy-efficient home featuring the holistic integration of elements across all aspects from design to construction. "Natural Fusion was born out of the idea of building an integrated house and using things that have been used for years but in a new way," said Thomas Rauch, team member and media liaison. "Its redefining the engineering process and what is considered the cross-disciplinary educational process." (more)