The CUSD house will be incorporating some innovative and unique technologies into our house to increase overall efficiency and environmental friendliness. Below are brief descriptions of these technologies (sub-teams responsible for them are in parenthesis).

Evacuated Solar Tube Collectors (HVAC)
These devices, mounted on the roof, absorb solar radiation and use it to heat water. Even on a cloudy day in Ithaca, the evacuated tubes collect enough solar energy to satisfy the house’s hot water needs.  

Greywater Recycling (HVAC)
In a typical house, the toilet uses much more water than any other appliance. Perfectly clean drinking water is literally flushed down the drain. In today’s global environment, clean drinking water is a precious commodity. To make our house more sustainable and reduce water consumption, we have designed our water system to supply the toilets with greywater ­ water collected from showers, dishwashers, sinks, washing machines, and rainwater. All of the greywater is filtered and chlorinated before use.