U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2009

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Someone tried to start a thread about this here earlier (Solar Decathlon Teams Prepare to Compete). Amazingly, it generated no responses. Let's try again.

The 2009 Solar Decathlon starts next week.

Solar Decathlon 2009

Students from architecture schools at twenty or so universities design and build these houses. Then the houses are broken down and transported to the National Mall, where they are reassembled and opened for judging and display. Some houses score low, because they are less inspiring in terms of architecture. Nonetheless, a low-scoring house might be the most practical to construct. Others are just plain knockouts. Just because a house comes from a school with a big name doesn't mean it will win. At the last Solar Decathlon, MIT's house did not score well at all. Virginia Tech's house in 2007 was wonderful. Expect greatness from the least likely source - a community college's house can be amazing.

There's nothing farfetched about the technology. It is all off-the-shelf. The houses can be built today, right now. This is not some pie-in-the-sky dream.

I've been to the last three of these. The DOE has been sponsoring these for years, so it's not something brought about by the new administration. Let's give credit where credit is due. These are DOE civil servants putting in time on this.

If there is any way you can attend, you will not be disappointed. The crowds get bigger every time. You will probably not be able to see all the houses, at least not for as long as you'd like.

See this if you can.