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Added by Team North Administrator on October 6th, 2009.
From grid tying to exterior work, things went very well at the Team Ontario / BC site today.
Work included finishing many of the exterior components, from the placement of the final panels on the North elevation to the final placement of the exterior signage. One of the most exciting additions was the delivery and placement of all of the plants that are integrated in the exterior landscape. Thanks so much to Kurt Blumel Landscaping Inc. and Hillcrest Nursery Inc. for raising the grasses and herb garden.
After grid tying, the Team Ontario / BC controls team had a chance to implement the system that they have spent the past two years developing. We are well on our way to being able to control the entire house at the press of a button (after a late night to make sure all of the systems are properly calibrated!).
On the home front, North House was featured today in the Vancouver Observer online, in a blog titled Technology Helps Solar House Occupants Make Smart Decisions.
 Morning, Day Six.
 Dave unloads the native grasses (left). The student team places all of the plants in the productive landscape (right).
 Jack places the last bit of flashing between the BIPV panels (left). Brad constructs the light fixture to be located above the back door (right).
 We are grid tied!!
 Andrew and Humphrey make sure the solar panels are free of any debris that could affect there performance (left). Rob tests ALIS – the Adaptive Living Interface System (centre). Brent and Toktam check the heat pump (right).
 The arrival of the amazing herbs! They were grown for us by Hillcrest Nursery, replanted a few weeks ago into containers made by MCM that were shipped here to the US. Natalie unloads the herb containers from the truck (left). The team admires the herbs (right).
 The south west corner of the house, complete with signage and grasses.
 Martin from Bang & Olufsen Washington installs our television (left). Dave tests the lighting for the North House entrance sign (right).
 The south façade (left). Calibrating the blinds with the control system (right).
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Added by Team North Administrator on October 5th, 2009.
Today Team Ontario / BC focused on finishing all of the exterior structure and beginning the interior fit out. Important tasks today included making sure that the house will be completely ready to be grid connected on the morning of Day Six. When the house is grid tied, absolutely no generators can be used, so today is also the last day for most of our power tools! It is also an important time for the controls team, who can began their work in the house once the grid connection has been made.
 Allan (left) and Matt (centre) worked through the night to complete the diffusing ceiling (right) before the installers from Bulthaup arrived in the morning.
 Local Bulthaup installers Oliver and Eric work to finish the installation of the B1 kitchen.
 Ryszard reads through the details for the assembly of the project (left). Brent prepares equipment for controls monitoring tests (centre). Lauren and Brad discuss grid connection (right).
 Krzyzstof, Ben and Mykolai finish the planter on the west side of the deck (left). Dan sands the bench that runs the length of the entrance on the south side of the deck (right).
 Brad and Chris make sure that the North House exterior is cleaned and ready for its grand debut (left), with help from Fabio (right).
 Lauren, Kathy, Jon, Dan, and Geoff strategize over coffee.
 Chris, Kevin, Brent, Ivan and the entire North House controls team prepare for grid connection (left). Maun, Chloe and Lauren edit jury tour scripts (right).
 The North House at the end of the fifth day of construction.
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Added by Team North Administrator on October 4th, 2009.
Today was another beautiful day in Washington DC, full of progress for Team Ontario / BC.
We met the challenge of assembling our large deck with very little staging area by creating a team of students who moved all of the components to the correct locations at the correct times. Then, a team from MCM was able to assemble the deck in the cleared space. With this teamwork, the deck was nearly complete by the end of the day. Today we passed the exterior structure and plumbing inspections, worked to complete the exterior storage along the north of the site and made the interior of the house ready for the arrival of the Bulthaup kitchen tomorrow morning.
Team Ontario / BC also had the opportunity to meet The Honourable Daniel Lang, Senator from the Yukon, and his wife Val. They were able to visit the Canadian teams at the Solar Decathlon before returning home, following a fact-finding mission to Washington.
 North House, with deck panels and planters ready to be installed.  With such a small site, and very limited staging area for our deck, a team of students were needed to move pieces of the landscape at a moments notice. Jon, Allan, Dave, and Matt (left). Toktam (centre). Humphrey (right).  The deck is now well on its way to being complete. Maks and Jack (left). The deck being dropped in place (centre). Luke, Phil, Witek and Lukasz, part of the north house deck team (right).  Robin from RED Electric talks to Solar Decathlon Electrical Inspectors (left). Sonja selects electrical hardware (right).  Jen and Natalie discuss the interior staging strategy (left). Dan makes sure the ceiling is painted out before the installation of the ceiling this evening (right).  Finishing the exterior. Mykolai assembles the doors for the exterior storage units (left). Piotr makes final adjustments (right).  Team Ontario / BC meet The Honourable Daniel Lang, Canadian Senator from the Yukon, and his wife Val who came to the Solar Decathlon today to meet the Canadian teams.
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Added by Team North Administrator on October 3rd, 2009.
It was a busy Saturday for Team Ontario / BC on the National Mall - not only was construction successful, but we also had a chance to talk about North House and solar powered housing with the many visitors who come to the National Mall on the weekend. The Mall is open to visitors throughout construction, with special walkways provided that are kept clear of all construction.
This morning construction began with the installation of the Building Integrated Photovoltaic Panels from Schuco that are located on the East, South and West faces of the North House. The canopy over the entrance on the North side of the house was also completed today. Many ongoing activities continued today including all electrical, mechanical and plumbing related installations, finishing touches on the windows, assembling the deck, organizing the site and folding brochures for the beginning of public tours next week.
For information about the competition and the other teams on the National Mall, the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon organizers have a few interesting links. Competition Director Richard King keeps a Daily Journal documenting the day’s events - look for North House’s Geoff Thün on Day Three! There is also a Flickr photostream with images of all the houses currently under construction.
 Many of the weekend visitors to the National Mall visit the Solar Decathlon.
 MCM installs the Schuco BIPV panels using a custom winch mechanism to hoist them from ground to the top of the building (left). Luke operates the winch (centre). Mykolai directs the panel while Lukasz lifts it into place (right).
 Maks and Phil tighten the guides for the Nysan exterior shades to the underside of the deck (left). Dave works on the storage units to the north of the house (right).
 Chris and Brad cut the window caps to length (left). Geoff, Brad and Chris finishing the windows (right).
 Ryszard and Krzyzstof install the canopy over the entrance door to the north of the house (left). The canopy and cooling pond (centre). The finished canopy (right).
 Sebastien, Lindsey, John and Allan fold Team Ontario / BC brochures for public tours next week (left). Moving the planters (right).
 Nick, Robin, and Fabio under the Day4 PV panels on the roof of North House.
 North House as of end of day, Day Three.
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Added by Team North Administrator on October 2nd, 2009.
The excitement continues on site at the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2009 Solar Decathlon for Team Ontario / BC. Key accomplishments on site today included: closing in the house with the installation of the doorframes and glazing, the completion of the suspended bed, the organization of all the Day 4 PV panels, and the final day for the crane on site.
Today, back a little bit closer to home, the North House was featured in the Globe & Mail in North House waves the flag by John Bentley Mays.
For the most up to date images of North House during construction, check out our webcam. It is focused on the south east corner of the house and updates about every 10 minutes (depending on the strength of our internet connection!).
There are also webcam images of the entire solar decathlon site provided by OxBlue Construction Camera Service. They have a really nice aerial view from the Smithsonian Castle and two central cameras, one focused on the Capitol Building and the other focused on the Washington Monument. It can be accessed here.
 The installation of the glazing (left). Luke, Lukasz, Witek, and Adam installing the glazing (centre). Chloe observes the lowering of the deck panels (right).
 Toktam and Fabio remove the wood used to crate the Day 4 PV panels from the roof (left). Ivan, Toktam, Humphrey, Omar, and Sonja unload the panels onto the roof (right).
 Krzyzstof P and Oleg installing on the suspended bed (left). In the house Krzyzstof P. and Oleg completing the suspended bed while Lukasz, Witek, Adam, and Phil install the bent aluminum flashing on the exterior (right).
 Team Ontario / BC figures out the necessity of construction meals! Chris, Al Davies, and Maks, help themselves to chili and salad (left). Brad uses a site marker to eat his salad when forks are scarce (right).
 A whole crew is needed to support construction on site, from making sure there is enough hot coffee to documenting the entire process. Aya and Lindsey, Team Ontario / BC site administrators, maintain order in the administrations tent, kindly provided by Navis Pack & Ship (left). Jamie captures the flashing installation (right).
 Adam installs the bent aluminum flashing (left). North House from the north west (right).
 Night on Day Two at the North House.
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Added by Team North Administrator on October 1st, 2009.
Construction at the Team Ontario / BC site didn’t slow as the sun rose the morning of Day One. Overnight, the Densepack and all floor panels had been craned into place, followed by the assembly of the roof panels this morning. By end of day the racking was completed on the roof and the window mullions had also been installed. All together five trucks were unloaded in the 24 hour time period following the beginning of the competition.
 Morning on the National Mall. Team Ontario / BC’s crane is the third from the right.
 Installing the final roof panel.
 Wladyslaw from MCM installs the water pump (left). Brent waits on the roof to receive the load of Day 4 PV panels (right).
 One of the five Mackie trucks unloaded on Day One (left). Natalie and Lindsey unpacking (right).
 Crane operators Paul and Tim from Crane Rental in Washington DC.
 Lauren talks about North House with the Solar Decathlon media relations team.
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Added by Team North Administrator on October 1st, 2009.
Team Ontario / BC began the competition running!
Included in this post are images documenting the first half of Day One.
 The team gathers just off site to prepare for the 11 o’clock pm construction start time (left). Lindsey Nette (UW), Aya Dembo (RU) and Jen Janzen (UW), the Team Ontario / BC site administrators, go over paperwork in preparation for construction (right).
 Team Ontario / BC members unload the tool truck and arrange the site for construction (left). Lauren Barhydt (UW) and Jack Debski (MCM) discuss the craning strategy with our Washington DC crane operators (right).
 Phil and Jack from MCM mark the Densepack foundation locations.
 Craning the Densepack!
 The view from in front of the North House…
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Added by Team North Administrator on September 30th, 2009.
Today was all about being as prepared as possible for the competition start.
Team Ontario / BC split into three main groups in order to accomplish several logistical tasks before construction at 11:00pm. One group went to our warehouse near Dulles International Airport to insure that all of the eight Mackie trucks were optimally packed to expedite the assembly process. A second group traveled to the north of Washington to become certified forklift operators in the United States. The rest of the team maintained our office in the hotel, finishing up all necessary paperwork.
We then registered for the competition at the Department of Energy on Independence Avenue, attending the All Team Meeting and dinner that followed. We had a chance to meet the other teams and hear words of encouragement - and helpful reminders - from the organizers of the US Department of Energy’s 2009 Solar Decathlon.
 The National Mall, the morning before construction.
 A representative from Perkins + Will discusses the importance of sustainable building (left). Jen Janzen and Ivan Lee (UW) read up on each team in the competition (right).
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Added by Team North Administrator on September 29th, 2009.
Team Ontario / BC has just completed the journey to Washington. The majority of the team arrived two days before the beginning of the competition to make all final local preparations before October 1st.
 The Yukons, Big Bear and Little Bear being packed outside of the University of Waterloo School of Architecture (left). Our first meeting in our home for the next month (right).
 Dave Schellingerhoudt, Natalie Jackson and Brad Paddock (UW) discuss equipment rentals (left). Team Ontario / BC talk about final project details (right).
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Added by Team North Administrator on September 27th, 2009.
Eight! Team Ontario / BC has been hard at work this week packing up the North House for its maiden journey to the US Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon.
The packing strategy required sorting components for both dimensional optimization in the trucks and sequencing according to required order of assembly in Washington. This unique combination of timing and space provided an interesting challenge for all involved, culminating with the departure of the last truck on Monday morning.
 Natalie Jackson (UW) and Jack Debski (MCM) discuss packing strategies (left). Steve Juranics from Navis Pack & Ship makes sure the kitchen components are packed and ready to go on the truck (right).  A Sterling crane was used to dis-assemble the floor and roof plates and the densepack and move the components to the trailers (left). The densepack being shrink-wrapped and tarped for transportation by Navis (right).  Packing the second last Mackie truck on Friday evening.  Jack Debski discusses strategy for construction on the National Mall – finish the house by October 7th!
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