Student-built sustainable houses to be displayed at the OC Sustainability Decathlon

Students will showcase sustainable houses they built at a new event created by two Chapman professors. Photo courtesy of Michael A. Moodian

Students from almost 20 participating schools will gather in Costa Mesa from Oct. 5 to Oct. 15 to have their housing plans evaluated by sustainability officials.

The first Orange County Sustainability Decathlon (OCSD), which is being held at the OC Fairgrounds, will offer college students the chance to design and showcase their very own sustainability models for housing, as well as spread awareness about climate change. The event, which is being led by Chapman University faculty members Fred Smoller and Michael A. Moodian, will also offer students the opportunity to get involved through volunteering and experience the many features that the Decathlon has to offer.

The team was provided with a $5 million grant from the state government, with the help of State Sen. Dave Min (D-37), who helped the team file for and receive the funds.

The grant will go toward the multitude of educational and recreational activities that will be present at the free event. Besides touring the house models, attendees can also visit a Job Fair, Education Day and listen to speakers, who will be talking about energy efficiency, water conservation and ways to practice sustainability. They can even enjoy a performance from Pacific Symphony’s “Symphony on the Go!” on the event’s opening night.

The Job Fair will give students and job-seekers a chance to explore various careers and internships in sustainability. Education Day is an opportunity for students in grades K-12 to learn more about sustainability efforts by partaking in activities such as a “Build-a-Home” project and touring the Wyland Foundation’s Clean Water Mobile Learning Experience.

“It’s meant to be an event that educates and informs the public,” said Moodian, the event’s chief communications officer for the event. “Everybody can take big and small steps to live a more sustainable lifestyle. It’s not impossible.”

“Think of it as a world fair of sustainability,” Moodian said.

The event is driven by California’s goal to become fully dependent on renewable energy within the next 20 years. The team stated that this is an initiative which many college students are passionate about, so they are heavily investing in the youth.

Money from the grant is also being put into advertising efforts to raise awareness for the event among young people. Moodian shared with The Panther that the team has put significant amounts of their marketing budget into advertisements on TikTok, Instagram and Twitter.

“I’ve been teaching for forty years, and there’s no issue that comes close to the environment and climate change in terms of animating students,” said Smoller, OCSD president and CEO. “This is an issue that they care very much about. 

Abby Harsche, a sophomore environmental science major and member of Chapman’s Mission Environment club, is enthusiastic about what this project could mean for climate change prevention. 

“(The Office of) Sustainability posts lots of things about the environment and keeping it healthy, but most people don’t follow them or read their emails,” Harsche told The Panther. “Hopefully, this will be more widely covered through the event so people know about it and are more conscious of the decisions they make daily.”

While Chapman does not have a house being shown at the event, the school has been getting involved in many other ways.

Besides Chapman faculty members Smoller and Moodian co-heading the event, current and former Chapman students have also participated in putting this project together.

“Many students are very upset, many students complain about climate change, and with good reason. And they’ll say, ‘What can I do?’” Smoller said. “Here’s what they can do: volunteer at the event, show up, tour the houses.”

Chapman students can get involved by volunteering in three-hour shifts for the duration of the event. Interested students can sign up on the event’s website. 

The event offers free admission as well. More information can be found via their latest press release, on the event’s website and on their Instagram, TikTok and Twitter accounts.