Hello Smart Homers!

Due to the great feedback given by various members on their experience this last semester (it seems so long ago…), Director Tom Rose and myself have decided to start doing a concise weekly roundup of Smart Home happenings and deadlines called the Smart Home Weeklies.  The purpose is simple: to keep you informed about IMPORTANT information as well general happenings so that you can get the most out of Smart Home.  This is a work in progress so let us know what works and what doesn’t.  Also, if you would like to tell everybody about something, let me know.  So, without further adieu, this is the inaugral Smart Home Weeklies…

Happy Holidays!  While you are comfortably sipping hot chocolate or jetting around the world, perhaps you are thinking a little about how you will be involved with S. Home next semester.  The following are the highlights of the coming semester’s initiatives and important information for you:

1) The full utilization of the THD Smart Home building.  Residents move-in right when school starts.  Mark Gu, my twin brother and past S. Home President, has agreed to spearhead the effort for this first semester to turn this building into a bustling gathering place for innovative Smarter Living technologies, dinners, community tours, and student ambitions.  If you are not a resident, but still want to be apart of this, make sure to let him know at sg58@duke.edu.

2)  The Duke Smart Home Competition — 2nd semester Grant Award process.  Whether you were part of a team this past semester or are looking to start a new engineering project team, you are eligible and encouraged to compete for project money and S. Home support in the Smart Home Competition which starts right when school starts.  More details to come.  The most important thing to do right now is to brainstorm.  IMPORTANT: We are looking for one person to help run the competition.  It will take approximately 5 hours/wk of commitment.  No special skills required, just a very reliable and pro-active person.  If you are interested, please send an email to Tim Gu at xg3@duke.edu as soon as possible.

3) Executive Board team leaders are currently coming up with spring semester goals and plans.  I am particularly excited about reaching out to the community and world about environmental sustainability.  Plans are also in the works to create a “National Association” for smart home-like groups.  Contact me directly if you’re interested in these things.
This next semester promises to be even more exciting than last semester.  Can’t wait to get started!

Tim Gu, Student President

On Friday, November 9th, Smart Home will finally open its doors to the public. That day involves a private ribbon cutting ceremony and a student party open for all Duke students from 7:15-9pm. Then, on the following Monday, Nov. 12th, there will be a series of speakers including featuring actor and environmental activist Ed Begley Jr. (check out his website). There will be open house tours that Monday and Tuesday from 2-7pm for the public. While the house will be on display, construction is not entirely complete and residents will move in early January.

See the ad below:

Hey everyone,

I am sorry but I regret to inform you that I don’t think I have the time to blog latest construction events as we dwindle down to the grand opening. However, I am still visiting the site weekly and posting photos on the Picasa account with captions and folder descriptions. Please check those out and feel free to contact me if you’d like to get more in depth updates. My email is sas41@duke.edu.

-Scott

Hey Everyone!

I’ve been back at Duke and finished my first week of classes. It’s a busy and happy time seeing friends and getting into the swing of things. I went to the site last week and saw some really great things that happened while I was away in Uganda (which was awesome!). Unfortunately, the photos I took were having trouble on my computer so I couldn’t get them up then. I have resolved that issue and want to show you the current condition as of now.

Cabinets in the newly painted kitchen!

Some of the latest developments inside and outside have been painting the inside walls, put up interior trim, installing the Square D-Clipsal light switches, installing the kitchen and lab cabinets, building the outside decks, installing new exterior doors, solar panels and paving the sidewalks. This is an incredible amount of development in a little over 4 weeks! Everything is on schedule so that the house can open for the Board of Visitors Meeting in early November.

A dirty lab without the counter top.

Tonight, we had the Smart Home Kickoff event, which turned out the more people than we could handle. I’ll be leading a tour of the home tomorrow to interested people and the list keeps growing. I’m very excited to welcome new help to the program and hope this semester will be the best one yet.

Standing on the second floor deck (solar panels in front)

I haven’t yet figured out a timely schedule for blogging construction related issues, but will get back soon once everything is settled in a couple of weeks.

Until then,

-Scott (The Construction Manager)

P.S. - If you lost touch this summer and would like to read the entries or check out the new look of this blog, feel free to browse the archived entries and the picasa photo archive.

Lee and I (tom rose) are heading out the door for the airport and then off to uganda. This is hopefully the first of many international posts.