While at Cornell University the ZED management team led the 2005 Cornell University Solar Decathlon Team in a Department of Energy competition that yielded a challenge atypical in home design: construction, disassembly, and transportation under time constraints along with aesthetics, functionality, and energy efficiency & production among others. This home required a true multi-pronged approach, one that necessitated evaluating each design decision from multiple perspectives: aesthetic, functional, energy, and cost. The end result was a transportable, zero energy home that integrated indoor & outdoor living, for two young professionals (whom were deemed our target inhabitant).

This home was built by students (including the ZED management team) on the Cornell campus, shipped to and built on the National Mall in Washington, DC, and performed in the two week long Solar Decathlon competition. During this competition, the 2005 Cornell entry placed second overall, and won many awards for architectural design, landscape design, energy performance, and other home elements.