Solar Decathlon 2023
Undergraduates, grad students, & non-students welcome!
Fall applications are due by 11:59PM PST on Sunday, 9/10!
Architecture
The Architectural Drawing Coordinator will produce technical drawings for the building’s foundation and structure. They work closely with the BMC team to make adjustments to plans in coordination with construction.
Tasks
- Creating floor plans, section drawings, etc
- Quantifying building materials to create purchase and building material proposals
- Meeting with advisors and professionals for design consultations and input
- Annotates architectural sheets with dimensions for construction guidance
Qualifications
- Interest in architectural design and drafting, using computer-aided software, representing building components
- Deep knowledge and/or passion in sustainability, sustainability, environmental justice, built environment, human impact, environmentally and socially conscious design, and affordable housing
- Interest in volunteering in build days, working with construction tools and materials, researching and learning about building construction
- Ability to work efficiently independently and in a team
- Able to commit 6-8 hours / week
The Interior Design Lead will oversee the design, fabrication, and assembly of custom furniture. They will work to coordinate installation during construction.
Tasks
- Research on finishes/materials and furniture products
- Work with Architectural Drawing Coordinators to update floor plans and produce interior elevations to reflect design changes
- Collaborate with Materials Procurement Coordinator to ensure timely selection and transport of appropriate products
- Furniture construction (if applicable)
Qualifications
- Interest in architectural design, woodworking, interior design
- Deep knowledge and/or passion in sustainability, sustainability, environmental justice, built environment, human impact, environmentally and socially conscious design, and affordable housing
- Interest in volunteering in build days, working with construction tools and materials, researching and learning about building construction
- Ability to work efficiently independently and in a team
- Able to commit 4-6 hours / week
The Modeling and Visuals Coordinator will use computer-aided drafting software to translate drawings to BIM models. They will integrate proposed designs into renderings of exterior and interior spaces.
Tasks
- Creating and modifying architectural drawings, models, and renderings for interior and exterior spaces
- Building Information Modeling (BIM modeling), translating Rhino drawings into Revit models
- Work with Interior Designers to develop the design, fabrication, and assembly of custom furniture
Qualifications
- Interest in architectural design and modeling, using computer-aided software
- Deep knowledge and/or passion in sustainability, sustainability, environmental justice, built environment, human impact, environmentally and socially conscious design, and affordable housing
- Interest in volunteering in build days, working with construction tools and materials, researching and learning about building construction
- Ability to work efficiently independently and in a team
- Able to commit 6-8 hours / week
Landscape Architects will oversee the design and implementation of all exterior/landscaped aspects of the projects, including deck spaces, plants, and interface with other buildings.
Tasks
- Finalization of deck/planter design
- Annotation of existing drawings
- Collaboration with Architectural Drawing Leads to update drawings
- Oversee research and purchase of materials for exterior spaces, including decks, outdoor furniture, and planters
- Creation of cohesive design schematics that represent project goals/principles
Qualifications
- Interest in architectural design, landscape design
- Deep knowledge and/or passion in sustainability, sustainability, environmental justice, built environment, human impact, environmentally and socially conscious design, and affordable housing
- Interest in volunteering in build days, working with construction tools and materials, researching and learning about building construction
- Ability to work efficiently independently and in a team
- Able to commit 4-6 hours / week
Construction
The Construction Management Lead will oversee the work of all members in the Construction Management Team to ensure the team’s effectiveness. They will work closely with the project manager to set tasks and timelines for team members and track the progress of all on-site and BIM-related activities.
Tasks
- Update Project Budget and Schedule to reflect project progress
- Consistent check-ins with Construction Management team members
- Provide or correct existing design drawings
- Work closely with Project Managers and field Superintendents in all aspects of Project Management
- Reviews and interprets contract documents; architectural drawings, structural drawings, and specifications in preparation of engineering work
- Communicate with vendors/sponsors to set up meetings
- Attend relevant meetings with advisors, sponsors, and GC
- Administer and coordinate project development with third party engineering firms
- Quality control of in-house and outsource engineering
Qualifications
- Interest in sustainable housing materials, passive design strategies, energy efficient materials, architectural design
- Deep knowledge and/or passion in sustainability, sustainability, environmental justice, built environment, human impact, environmentally and socially conscious design, and affordable housing
- Ability to work efficiently independently and in a team
- Able to commit 6-8 hours / week
The BIM Coordinator all BIM-related activities, including translating Rhino3D CAD files into Revit, managing the shared BIM model, construction modeling, and ensuring that the project schedules and materials align with the BIM model.
Tasks
- Compiling necessary materials from models to create schedules and itineraries
- Provide or correct existing design drawings
- Responsible for creation and production work of 2D, 3D and 4D shop drawings and BIM models using REVIT Architecture, NavisWorks or other design software programs
- Work closely with Project Managers and field Superintendents in all aspects of Project Management through to installation
- Reviews and interprets contract documents; architectural drawings, structural drawings, and specifications in preparation of engineering work
- Coordinate and obtain exact product information from vendors/manufacturers to incorporate into Revit model
- Administer and coordinate project development with third party engineering firms.
- Quality control of in-house and outsource engineering
Qualifications
- Interest in sustainable housing materials, passive design strategies, energy efficient materials, architectural design
- Deep knowledge and/or passion in sustainability, sustainability, environmental justice, built environment, human impact, environmentally and socially conscious design, and affordable housing
- Ability to work efficiently independently and in a team
- Able to commit 5-7 hours / week
The Materials Procurement Coordinator will coordinate with Design & Planning teams to manage the timely procurement and transport of construction materials.
Tasks
- Researching materials and building components
- Contacting building suppliers and organizations to secure materials
- Working closely with the Treasurer to ensure proposed items stay in budget
Qualifications
- Interest in sustainable housing materials, passive design strategies, energy efficient materials, reclaimed building components
- Deep knowledge and/or passion in sustainability, sustainability, environmental justice, built environment, human impact, environmentally and socially conscious design, and affordable housing
- Ability to work efficiently independently and in a team
- Able to commit 5-7 hours / week
Engineering Systems
The Technical Systems Lead will lead the design of the MEP systems in the building, including solar equipment, electrical systems, and plumbing systems.
Tasks
- Calculating energy loads and creating electrical model
- Creating design and placement plan for water and plumbing system
- Researching product spec sheets and installation guides
Qualifications
- Interest in renewable energy, greywater recycling, MEP systems
- Deep knowledge and/or passion in sustainability, sustainability, environmental justice, built environment, human impact, environmentally and socially conscious design, and affordable housing
- Ability to work efficiently independently and in a team
- Able to commit 6-8 hours / week
- Past experience or knowledge in designing and installing MEP systems, purchasing or working with electrical / plumbing systems or components
The HVAC Engineer identifies the overall heating, cooling, and ventilation strategy in conjunction with determining the mechanical schedule and layout for the purposes of minimizing active loads and maximizing indoor comfort. Particularly, they work to make the ducting system work with the modularized building components.
Tasks
- Edit existing design drawings with edits from advisors and subcontractors
- Collaborate with Architectural Drawing Leads to update technical drawings in Revit and AutoCAD
- Work with subcontractors and professionals on-site to ensure proper installation of HVAC systems and products
- Consistent check-ins with Engineering Systems team members
- Coordinate with Construction Management team members and relevant sponsors to ensure efficient and timely procurement of HVAC products
Qualifications
- Deep knowledge and/or passion in sustainability, sustainability, environmental justice, built environment, human impact, environmentally and socially conscious design, and affordable housing
- Ability to work efficiently independently and in a team
- Coursework or other experience related to HVAC system design
- Able to commit 5-7 hours / week
The Water Engineer aims to design a water and plumbing system that minimizes water consumption through efficient domestic hot water heating, greywater and blackwater treatment, and atmospheric water generation. Particularly, they work to make the plumbing system work with the modularized building components.
Qualifications
- Deep knowledge and/or passion in sustainability, sustainability, environmental justice, built environment, human impact, environmentally and socially conscious design, and affordable housing
- Ability to work efficiently independently and in a team
- Coursework or other experience related to water systems design
- Able to commit 5-7 hours / week
Tasks
- Edit existing design drawings with edits from advisors and subcontractors
- Collaborate with Architectural Drawing Leads to update technical drawings in Revit and AutoCAD
- Work with subcontractors and professionals on-site to ensure proper installation of water systems and products
- Consistent check-ins with Technical Systems team members
- Coordinate with Construction Management team members and relevant sponsors to ensure efficient and timely procurement of products
The Electrical and Lighting Engineer coordinates all the electrical infrastructure, including equipment schedules for all plug loads and lighting fixtures. They work with the Architecture team to place the lighting fixtures and corresponding light sensors.
Tasks
- Edit existing design drawings with edits from advisors and subcontractors
- Collaborate with Architectural Drawing Leads to update technical drawings in Revit and AutoCAD
- Work with subcontractors and professionals on-site to ensure proper installation of electrical and lighting systems
- Consistent check-ins with Engineering Systems team members
- Coordinate with Construction Management team members and relevant sponsors to ensure efficient and timely procurement of products
Qualifications
- Deep knowledge and/or passion in sustainability, sustainability, environmental justice, built environment, human impact, environmentally and socially conscious design, and affordable housing
- Ability to work efficiently independently and in a team
- Coursework or other experience related to electrical systems and/or lighting design
- Able to commit 5-7 hours / week
The Energy and Controls Engineer designs the energy infrastructure, including electrical equipment for the microgrid, solar array, and battery system. They additionally simulate this infrastructure to research and implement control algorithms for demand response, load shedding, etc. The main requirement is a time commitment of 6-8 hours per week and a willingness to learn.
Tasks
- Edit existing design drawings with edits from advisors and subcontractors
- Collaborate with Architectural Drawing Leads to update technical drawings in Revit and AutoCAD
- Work with subcontractors and professionals on-site to ensure proper installation of energy and controls systems
- Consistent check-ins with Engineering Systems team members
- Coordinate with Construction Management team members and relevant sponsors to ensure efficient and timely procurement of products
Qualifications
- Deep knowledge and/or passion in sustainability, sustainability, environmental justice, built environment, human impact, environmentally and socially conscious design, and affordable housing
- Ability to work efficiently independently and in a team
- Coursework or other experience related to energy and controls systems design
- Able to commit 5-7 hours / week
The IoT Engineer builds and manages the Village Management System (VMS), coordinating all smart equipment for integration into the system.
Tasks
- Build and maintain the software connections of the heat pumps, ERVs, passive ventilators, fans, greywater recycling unit, blackwater treatment plan, atmospheric water generator, lighting fixtures, controllable shading devices, daylighting sensor array, lighting fixtures, controllable shading devices, daylighting sensor array, smart electrical panels, batteries, and solar panels to the VMS
- Visualize and analyze the data from those devices
- Add additional sensors
- Work with the open-source Home Assistant program and develop on it
- Work on a novel building metadata schema system
Qualifications
- Interest in the Internet of Things and software in general
- Experience in Python programming
- Experience with embedded systems is a plus
Community Engagement
The Media Lead is responsible for overseeing our website, social media accounts, infographic production, blog post production, newsletter production, and all other publicity content. Of note is the in-progress docuseries, featuring episodes that focus on the site and village residents, the architectural design, the HVAC system, the water system, the energy system, and the IoT system.
Tasks
- Manage and support implementation of activities related to media
- Coordinate with teammates and partner organizations to contribute to media development and media for development
- Manage engagement and support of partners and operationalize partner events, activities, and networks
- Manage participation in collaborative activities among partners, universities, and stakeholders, and facilitate exchange of information
- Collaborate with team members across project objectives to ensure that all project activities and results are coordinated and mutually reinforcing
Qualifications
- Interest in sustainability and media
- Deep knowledge and/or passion in sustainability, sustainability, environmental justice, built environment, human impact, environmentally and socially conscious design, and affordable housing
- Ability to work efficiently independently and in a team
- Able to commit 8-10 hours / week
The Webmaster is the website wizard.
Tasks
- Serves as the primary contact for all aspects of the organization’s website
- Develops and maintains internet and intranet portals, forms, and structures in accordance with the organizations needs
- Encourages and facilitates consistent, creative, and unified web design across the organization’s web properties
- Collects and analyzes web analytics and similar data; identifies opportunities to improve search engine optimization (SEO), time on site, web traffic, and other relevant metrics
- Maintains current knowledge of best practices and emerging developments in web design, web development, and technology
- Performs other related duties as assigned
Qualifications
- Extensive knowledge of and/or interest in website management, analytics, design, and SEO best practices and standards
- Familiarity with HTML/CSS; working knowledge of XML, SQL, JavaScript, and other programming languages; alternatively, WordPress experience
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Technical Writers are in charge of textual content production, including blog posts, newsletters, and infographics.
Tasks
- Obtain a deep understanding of projects to translate complex information into simple, polished, and engaging content
- Write user-friendly content that meets the needs of the target audience
- Evaluate current content and develop innovative approaches for improvement
- Research, outline, write, and edit new and existing content, working closely with various teammates to understand project requirements
- Independently gather information from subject matter experts to develop, organize, and write procedure manuals, technical specifications, and process documentation
- Develop content in alternative media forms for maximum usability, with a consistent and cohesive voice across all documentation
Qualifications
- Ability to quickly learn and understand complex topics
- Experience writing documentation and procedural materials for multiple audiences
- Superior written and verbal communication skills, with a keen eye for detail
- Experience working with engineering to improve user experience: design, UI, and help refine content and create visuals and diagrams for technical support content
- Ability to work efficiently independently and in a team
- Able to commit 5-7 hours / week
We are looking for a highly creative graphic designer who can take conceptual ideas and create visual representations, both in print and electronic media. Our ideal candidate will have expert knowledge of current design software and skilled with every step of the design process from concept to the final deliverable. Collaborating with multiple teams, the graphic designer should be able to take direction from written or spoken ideas and convert them into a design that connects.
Tasks
- Work on a wide range of projects and media, using various computer software to visualize and develop innovative graphic designs
- Obtain input from management, ensuring designs meet organizational standards and brand expectations, express ideas accurately, and represent SHAC or client appropriately
- Examine existing processes, identifying flaws and creating solutions to improve design capabilities
- Collaborate, brainstorm, and strategize with multiple teams or clients for a wide range of materials that may include web pages, presentations, programming collateral, signage, internal communication, newsletters, and marketing materials
- Translate strategic direction into high-quality design within an established brand identity
- Develop concepts by hand or with software, and execute original content determining ideal usage of color, text, font style, imagery, and layout
Qualifications
- Exceptional creativity and innovative design skills
- Experience with and/or interest in design software, including Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, etc.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Organizational and time-management skills for meeting deadlines
- Desire to continue to grow skill set with ongoing education and training
- Able to commit 5-7 hours / week
We are searching for a talented social media manager to represent SHAC. The social media manager will be required to run advertising campaigns and drive engagement by creating high-quality original content. You should also engage influencers, manage our community by responding to comments, and oversee our customer service across all platforms.
Tasks
- Running social media advertising campaigns
- Formulating high-quality novel written and visual content for each social media campaign
- Building a social media presence by maintaining a solid online presence
- Monitoring the company’s brand on social media
- Building brand awareness by engaging relevant influencers
- Managing our online communities to ensure respectful and appropriate engagement
- Responding to comments on each of our accounts
- Overseeing customer service provided via social media
- Analyzing data to determine whether social media campaigns have achieved their objectives
Qualifications
- Experience and/or interest in developing social media strategies.
- Experience and/or interest in working with and developing a marketing plan.
- Ability to develop the right voice for each social media platform.
- Understanding of graphic design principles
- Ability to measure the success of campaigns.
- Able to commit 5-7 hours / week
We are looking for a goal-oriented and organized video producer to manage video projects from inception to completion. To be successful as a video producer, you should have excellent time management and interpersonal skills. A top-notch video producer combines creativity with meticulous planning to create successful videos.
Tasks
- Assisting in the creation and refinement of scripts, project concepts, and other materials
- Scheduling all tasks within the video production process
- Handling and planning for disruptions to the project
- Locating, checking, and booking shooting venues
- Directing cameramen, set designers, actors, and support staff
- Meeting with relevant stakeholders to discuss the project
- Ensuring that the production quality of the final product is top-notch
Qualifications
- In-depth knowledge of video production processes and activities
- Skilled at negotiation, planning, and budgeting
- Able to lead a production team and manage several tasks at once
- Calm under pressure and comfortable with a fast-paced work environment
- Problem-solving skills, deadline-focused, and goal-driven
- Meticulous in their work with high standards of excellence
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Able to commit 5-7 hours / week
We are searching for a passionate fundraising manager with excellent leadership skills and networking abilities. The fundraising manager will be responsible for building good relationships with prospective donors and clients across multiple sectors, communicating with the broader public and internal teams, delegating tasks, and drawing up plans to ensure annual targets are met. You should be well organized, proactive, and have the ability to inspire those around you. To be successful as a fundraising manager, you should stay informed on marketing strategies, and be comfortable doing research on different sectors. A great fundraising manager should have sharp public speaking skills and be able to deliver presentations to a range of audiences.
Tasks
- Conducting research on fundraising opportunities.
- Writing, submitting, and uploading press releases as required
- Writing funding proposals and submitting these to potential donors.
- Coming up with ingenious ways to raise awareness
- Implementing a variety of marketing strategies and promotional campaigns
- Organizing and attending non-profit events and networking with relevant stakeholders
- Establishing good relationships with staff, members of the public, and the media
Qualifications
- Excellent written, verbal, and telephonic communication skills
- Experience and/or interest in a fundraising position
- Creativity and persuasion skills
- Detail-oriented
- Good organizational skills.
- Strong leadership qualities
- Able to commit 5-7 hours / week
SHAC is an interdisciplinary group of undergraduate and graduate students at UC Berkeley with a shared passion for sustainability in the built environment.
We are a student group acting independently of the University of California. We take full responsibility for our organization and this website.
Sustainable Housing at Cal © 2022