Project Team: Sci-Arc & CalTech

CHIP is a prefab, net-zero solar-powered house designed and built by a student-run team from two Southern California schools: Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) and California Institute of Technology (Caltech). The house is the team's entry for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 competition.

CHIP stands for "Compact Hyper-Insulated Prototype," designed to challenge every architectural and engineering preconception about the net-zero house. CHIP is the result of a 2-year intensive collaborative effort between both schools and various consultants, including research, design, and construction. CHIP announces a new generation of energy efficient affordable housing.