Solar Decathlon to Display Newest in Zero Energy Homes

The Department of Energy will host the fourth Solar Decathlon at the National Mall in Washington D.C. this October. The event brings together college students from across the country who have completed the construction of solar-powered homes that address all the needs of modern living. The homes will be dismantled and taken to Washington D.C. to be displayed at the National Mall for spectators to see. The students, comprised of 20 teams from colleges across the country, will have worked on this project for two years. Each home will be judged on 10 key facets, including architectural appeal, market viability, home entertainment, hot water, and lighting design.

The university teams in the Solar Decathlon come from all corners of the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, and even from the country of Spain. Visitors to the National Mall will be able to tour the solar homes on October 9th-13th, and 15th-18th. The Solar Decathlon typically draws 100,000 visitors to the National Mall to view the latest achievements in Solar Power.

The Solar Decathlon is sponsored by the United Stated Department of Energy, and carries seven chief goals, as described by the program:

1. To educate the student participants—the "Decathletes"—about the benefits of energy efficiency, renewable energy and green building technologies. As the next generation of engineers, builders, and communicators, the Decathletes will be able to use this knowledge in their studies and their future careers.
2. To raise awareness among the general public about renewable energy and energy efficiency, and how solar energy technologies can reduce energy usage.
3. To help solar energy technologies enter the marketplace faster. This competition encourages the research and development of energy efficiency and energy production technologies.
4. To foster collaboration among students from different academic disciplines—including engineering and architecture students, who rarely work together until they enter the workplace.
5. To promote an integrated or "whole building design" approach to new construction. This approach differs from the traditional design/build process because the design team considers the interactions of all building components and systems to create a more comfortable building, save energy, and reduce environmental impact.
6. To demonstrate to the public the potential of Zero Energy Homes, which produce as much energy from renewable sources, such as the sun and wind, as they consume. Even though the home might be connected to a utility grid, it has net zero energy consumption from the utility provider.

Decathletes in the previous Solar Decathlon built surprising homes with innovative building ideas, such as adjustable radiant shades, the use of recycled shipping containers into the final home design, and even the creation of more market-friendly buildings that are in sync with a broad range of home buyers.

Learn more about the Solar Decathlon.