Challenge Date: April 7, 2021
The Challenge
Student teams participating in the 2021 CAEE Sustainable Dog House Competition must work together to design a virtual shelter for dogs using design software such as SketchUp, Revit, or Rhino. Successful student designs will incorporate aspects from each of the following categories:
Sustainability
For the physical competition, students are given no budget for materials so designers in the virtual competition should keep this in mind; using expensive, treated, or "rare" materials should be avoided. Instead, opt for materials that could easily be salvaged like commonly recycled materials or typical soft/hardwoods used in construction, furniture, etc. Adding “green” features such as a green roof, rainwater collector, etc. will also help improve your score.
Structure
Teams must produce sturdy structures capable of withstanding heavy winds and falling debris, in addition to exhibiting resistance to water intrusion. Make sure that the dog house you design could actually be created in a semester's time.
Comfort
The dog should be comfortable inside your design - think of the dog house as more of a home and less of a shelter. While it is enough to have a floor, four walls, and a roof, you can gain extra points by considering more about the dog's comfort.
Creativity
Teams should aim to be creative with their dog house from the design they choose to the materials and features that they construct their dog house with.
Healthy
The dog house you design should be made so there is no threat to the dog's health through means of exposure to the materials and paints/varnishes.
Software
In this category, your team will not be judged for their knowledge of the software, but rather the way that they manage the design within the software.
Presentation
Teams will be asked to prepare a pre-recorded video summarizing the categories listed above in addition to topics such as inspiration, roadblocks, process, and reflection.
The detailed information packet can be viewed here.
Prizes
- Top Dog 1st Place - Lower Division ($1000)
- Top Dog 2nd Place - Lower Division ($500)
- Top Dog 1st Place - *Upper Division ($1000)
- Top Dog 2nd Place - *Upper Division ($500)
- People's Choice Award ($500)
* only one prize per team will be awarded.
*To compete in the Upper Division category, two or more of the team members must have upper division classification.
Eligibility
- All students from the CAEE Department are allowed to enter the competition. Students from other majors may join a team but the team must be made up of a simple majority of CAEE students.
- At least one team members must have attended an online information session, viewed the information session video here or communicated with
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Registration
- Complete registration form
- Email
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Deliverables
- Dog House virtual design
- Video presentation
Send us pictures and blurbs of your team at work and we will post to @UT_CAEE Twitter and Instagram!
