The eighth graders took a science field trip to visit the Missouri S&T’s EcoVillage, which consists of two solar houses that can rely completely off the grid and depend on their own solar energy. The two houses were built by S&T students, and were used to compete in national competitions. To compete in these competitions the houses have to be able to be taken apart, shipped to the new location, and be put back together, which makes these houses different.

The Chameleon house can adapt to its environment, such as cooling itself or opening the windows when the temperature in the house gets too hot. The deck on The Chameleon was made of reused Walmart bags, and uses sunlight as well as a special type of concrete to warm the house from natural light.

The second house in the village is called The Nest. The name comes from their theme in a 2015 competition, where they aimed to make the house out of as many reused items as possible. The floors in The Nest are made of reused fishing nets, cork, reused wood, and recycled denim is used for insulating the small home. One incomparable thing about this house is that it is made of reused shipping containers, which usually end up sitting in landfills.

These houses, and more, made by S&T show that energy usage, creatively reused items, and solar powered homes can be renewable and not pollute the world around us, now and in the future.