Solar homestead

In another nod to traditional architecture, Appalachian State University designed a building inspired by traditional homesteads. Six separate components inspired by lean-to sheds create a "great porch" where these students are seated.

On the technical side, the building has one sun-facing wall filled with phase-change materials, or materials that will go from solid to liquid when heated. That Trombe wall stores the heat from the sun to lower the electrical load for heating.