Solar Decathlon Teams Prepare to Compete

[Nathanael]

The U.S. Department of Energy along with a host of private companies are sponsoring this very innovative competition for university students. The contestants all have to design and build an innovative, efficient, and attractive solar-powered house. The houses are all built in a "solar village" in Washington, D.C. There are ten different areas in which the houses are graded.

Check it out:




They call it a decathlon, although there are no tracks to sprint, no javelins to throw. But there are hurdles to jump. That’s because it is the Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon.

In October, the U.S. Department of Energy will host 20 teams of college and university students competing in 10 contests over the course of three weeks to design, build, and operate the most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar-powered house. And the public is invited to come and watch!

Here’s how it works: first the solar decathlon teams build their houses. The teams have to raise money, hire contractors and find supplies.

Link: http://www.energyboom.com/solar/solar-decathlon-teams-prepare-compete (There is a video link of a house built by one of this year's teams)