Making it Real

Designed as a kit of parts reACT is a modular home oriented around a central courtyard. The glazed courtyard provides a sense of spaciousness and light to the interior while operating as a solar collect to preheat water and air. Accessed behind a series of interior panels systems have been fully separated from structure in order to adapt to occupants changing needs.

Team Maryland’s engineering team has developed an open-source model that includes first-principles descriptions of solar irradiance, house PV array power output, nominal house energy-related loads, and thermal modeling of reACT and its HVAC system.

Team Maryland’s engineering team has developed a detailed, physically based model that predicts reACT’s performance based on weather forecasts corresponding to the locations of our virtual houses.

reACT aims to create a shift in the current housing paradigm which has followed a non-sustainable building model for generations by embracing traditional Native American values of living in balance with the natural world. Team Maryland aims to demonstrate feasibility of innovations & concepts. Developed strategies strive to persuade audience to first recognize the importance of developing a more sustainable future and that it is an achievable reality, then influence audience to develop a desire for such a future. Lastly, strategies utilized are intended to incite audience to internalize their personal ability to achieve the goal of more sustainable future through individual and collaborative action.

Over the past two years, a journey to understand and learn from traditional Native American knowledge and values has guided Team Maryland towards reaching harmony between the built and natural environments. reACT’s target market is represented by a young Nanticoke Indian couple starting a family in Denver, CO. Inspiration was found in a well defined market whose members are deeply tied to nature, whose values are ecologically grounded, and whose culture reveres Mother Earth. Team Maryland hopes all American’s will ultimately embrace these values, however, we are conscious that currently there is no well-defined cultural, political or ethnic group that is actively seeking sustainability and regeneration as we discovered Native Americans to be. By promoting balance in the natural world with western scientific innovations and design reACT developed a unique identity that presented a solution for a more sustainable living model.

reACT’s core contains high-performance, interactive, environmentally sensitive systems, managing the flow of water, air and energy. reACT conserves resources through passive and active heating and cooling, green, mold-resistant wall prototypes, rainwater-catchment and grey-water systems.reACT is Net-positive in energy, water, and waste as defined by the International Living Future Institute. reACT exemplifies non-toxic, ecologically restorative, transparent, and socially equitable architecture.

Find out about the construction behind reACT