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For most of October, the spirit of Louisiana can be found not only within our state lines, but also about 1100 miles to the North. On the National Mall in Washington, D.C., a team of architecture and engineering students from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is showing off the solar home they designed and built as competitors in the 2009 Solar Decathlon, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.

“I’ve been on the project since the start,” said Gretchen Vanicor, a team member, while standing on the National Mall. “We started in November 2007 with writing the proposal, and I’ve been working on it ever since. We are incredibly excited; it’s an incredible accomplishment for us.”

For the past two years, the students have been partnered up with Louisiana System Built Homes, a St. Martinville-based company that makes pre-fabricated homes, planning, designing and building a home that would encourage Louisiana residents to go green at home.

The BeauSoleil Home is powered entirely by the sun and collects its own water from the rain. It captures breezes and sunshine to reduce the amount of energy it uses, and all of the appliances are energy-efficient. There is a “dog-trot” transitional porch, an open passageway that runs through the house to allow cool air from the outside in; it can also be closed off to form additional interior living space. At only 800 square feet, it’s footprint is small, too.

There’s one aspect of building, though, that is even more important to Louisiana residents than sustainability, and that is definitely how the house can handle a hurricane. To that effect, the BeauSoleil Home can be elevated in flood-prone areas, and it can also withstand hurricane-force winds. The house is fitted with multi-purpose shutters that can be closed for protection should a storm approach.

Last but not least, the BeauSoleil Home has stayed true to its Louisiana roots. It borrows its architectural style from that of the Acadians, the original Louisiana settlers who set up shop in the 18th century just west of New Orleans. Despite its small size, the house has a large kitchen for entertainment and cooking, and the transitional porch has an area to grow fresh herbs. It meets the median Louisiana budget, too, priced between $120,000 and $150,000.

“That was truly the most important thing to us,” Vanicor said, “was for it to be a home for Louisiana. That meant the home had to respond to our culture, it had to enhance the lifestyle of the people of our state. It had to celebrate our love for cooking, for entertaining, for being outside to enjoy the weather, and it also had to be resistant to hurricane impact and make it easier for residents of Louisiana to evacuate.”

Team BeauSoleil arrived in D.C. on October 1, with the BeauSoleil home in pieces on two flatbed trucks. After re-assembling it in just four days, the team passed all of their inspections this past Wednesday and is now competing against 19 other teams from around the world (Germany! Puerto Rico! Canada!) in 10 competitions that judge the home on its ability to handle day-to-day life.

“We have to run our dishwasher, our stove, our washer and dryer,” Vanicor explained. “They test all of our appliances, and we have to have proper lighting levels and also keep the home at a constant temperature for a certain amount of time… We even get to cook for them!”

The ULL students are currently in fifth place (Geaux Team!), but no matter how they fare in the other contests, the food from Team BeauSoleil should have no problem coming in first. They’ll be making fried catfish and crawfish etouffee.

“We’re definitely bringing Louisiana to D.C.!” Vanicor said.

The official winners of the 2009 Solar Decathlon will be announced next Friday, October 16, at 8 a.m., and all of the houses will be open for tours through next Sunday. You can stay up to date with all of the team’s happenings here.

After Team BeauSoleil returns from D.C., they hope to further their partnership with Louisiana System Built Homes in an effort to bring their winning prototype to the marketplace.

“That’s our long-term goal,” Vanicor said. “After the competition, we want to see more BeauSoleil Louisiana Solar Homes built, and we want to see people in Louisiana living in them, having an affordable, sustainable home that’s resistant to hurricane impact and enhancing the lifestyle of the Louisiana resident.”

Photos compliments of Stefano Paltera/U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.