s.ky blue information
The Solar Decathlon is a project of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in partnership with DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Kentucky Landscape: 14#
Kentucky is commonly referred to as the “Bluegrass State” because its rolling countryside and wild grass appears to be blue in color when the sun hits the grass just right. To capture the qualities of this rolling landscape, the s.ky blue team developed a planted border concept to envision four possible contextual environments for the house that are commonly seen throughout Kentucky. These planters are defined as the: Roadside, Meadow, Bluegrass and Woodland.
The plants and shrubs chosen for the s.ky blue house were selected to not only represent different landscapes of Kentucky but because they are drought tolerant. Each of these plants shows specific characteristics in the fall months, especially during the 2009 Solar Decathlon Competition.
Meadow: The west facing meadow planter includes pink muhly grass and blue star plants and shrubs, which are native to Kentucky.
Roadside: The south facing Roadside planter includes fragrant sumac and lemon grass.
Bluegrass: The north facing Bluegrass planter contains blue fescue.
Woodland: The east facing Woodland planter contains shrubs, trees and plants including small fothergilla and bald cypresses.
Coal is the state mineral as well as the main source of energy in the state of Kentucky. S.ky blue chose Mexican river rock as a substitute to coal or shale in the planters even though it is not a regional mineral.
