March 28 had us working on the floor plate, constructing a solid base for the house joists. One of our sponsors has donated a very important part of our house called Structural Insulated Panels, or SIPS from our major supporter Emercor. These are basically two pieces of plywood separated by six or eight inches of insulated styrofoam.
These panels are used for everything. The base plate of the house, the sides of the floor plate, and eventually the walls and roof of the house. Their mass will make this one of the more solid houses on the mall during the competition.
Our team includes a wide range of students and volunteers who work together to understand the process of construction we have chosen.
One of the most important things for any volunteer is understanding the drawings that have been completed so far so no mistakes are made during the layout and construction of the all-important floor system.
Our work is progressing but it will be quite some time before the house rises above the floor.