My Decathlon Day: The OCSD

I was thrilled to attend the 2023 Orange County Sustainability Decathlon. The event has seen many forms, but this is the first hosted by Orange County with the intent of making California the sustainability capital of the nation. I had been to one similar in 2016 during my studies at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and often passed by the showcase decathlon house on our campus, so I was eager to see how the latest technologies have evolved.

According to the official OCSD website, there were four event objectives:

1. To encourage public discussion of climate change and other environmental issues, especially environmental justice.
2. To facilitate the development of a sustainable workforce.
3. To foster the creation of sustainable industries.
4. To provide a vehicle for the public to demonstrate its support for climate action.

Nexus 01 – First Place              teamMade – Second Place                  Roots – Third Place    

(Photo Credit: George Proctor)             

The overall winners of the decathlon were Nexus 01 (first place), teamMade (second), and Roots (third place). The talented team members were from Rancho Cielo Construction Academy, UCI/Orange Coast College, and Cal Poly Pomona, respectively. Of the three, I particularly enjoyed Nexus 01 by Rancho Cielo Construction Academy due to the home’s high ceilings, sunroom, cork siding, and use of natural light through thoughtfully placed windows and solar tubs.

What I believe set them apart were two key factors:

1. They are high school students being trained in the construction trade.
2. This home was part of a larger “EcoVillage” consisting of 13 similar homes and a community center being built over the next few years.

My colleague, who attended another day, picked Cal Poly as his favorite for its impressive interior design. He said, “It felt like a real home.” The students were the most enthusiastic when sharing about the home’s features and immense amount of collaboration amongst various majors to reach the finish line.

Some notable mentions include UCSD’s beautiful window walls creating moody natural light, UCSD’s hydroponic system, and the Cal State Long Beach’s hydraloop installed to reuse greywater for residential purposes. I noticed a handful of systems such as ERVs, Rheem electric water heaters, Wynd air purifiers, and solar panels, which we have seen in many of our very own WHA projects.

My favorite stop, however, was BYU’s exhibit. This wasn’t because of its standout exterior beauty; I was intrigued by the unique method of construction and the decision to use the centuries-old dome shape. Due to an unfortunate last-minute cancellation from their shipping company, they couldn’t transport their home submission to the competition and settled for a last-minute smaller scaled submission for the exhibit portion of the event. They created a lightweight structure using a balloon-inflated membrane sprayed with foam and shotcrete. After talking with a few of the students, I learned its thermal capacity held up against the harsh cold nights in Utah, only losing a few degrees by morning.

My Key Takeaways:

1. Enthusiasm for Education: I had the chance to investigate, ask questions, and learn from the students and volunteers. Taking the posture of learning helped me question current standards and envision an industry where sustainable practices are the norm.
2. Industry Influence: I consider how this impacts my daily work with my team, in my firm, and with my clients. I am at a stage where I’m not quite a recent grad, nor am I an established architect; this event forced me to grapple with what my approach will be to these difficult challenges ahead.
3. Public Participation: I expected to see excited students passionate about their projects, but I didn’t expect enthusiasm from the public. I met Mike, a passionate volunteer and OC native devastated by the lack of awareness consumers have of the overuse of valuable resources. I met Rick and Cheryl, a local elderly couple choosing to spend their Sunday at this event simply for the fun of it. To me, their involvement spoke volumes of their priority as individuals and contribution to society.

In an effort to continue the momentum towards sustainability, here are some things I’d hope to see next year:

1. Permanent Use: Only a select number of homes had dedicated end use. I hope to see this become an integral part of the competition, as it would encourage sustainability throughout the life of the building.
2. Material Restriction: Including more restrictions on certain materials such as vinyl and concrete, which are known to have high embodied energy, would encourage a more innovative material approach.
3. Timing: Seeing the event occur in the spring would give more time for student participation.

I’d say The OCSD’s objectives were met on my Decathlon day. My optimism for our industry was renewed, and I hope my experience instills a little more curiosity for you to pave the way for a better and more sustainable future too.