Solar Decathlon

SOLAR DECATHLON 2009: Cornell Silo House

Things really heated up this past few days as we inched closer to finding out who the winner of this year’s Solar Decathlon would be, and in the end Team Germany’s surPLUShouse stole the show. We were sad to see that Cornell University’s Silo House did not place in the top 3, but we still love this totally unconventional and clever home which held steadfastly in the ranks as part of the top 10 throughout the week. As a compact modular structure, the Silo House proves that impressive green, energy-efficient things do come in small spaces!

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Illinois Gable House Takes 2nd Prize in Solar Decathlon

by Bridgette Meinhold, 10/16/09

This morning the University of Illinois took second place in the Solar Decathlon with its gorgeous solar powered Gable House. The unique farmhouse-inspired home made an excellent showing at this year’s competition and was surpassed only at the last moment by Team Germany. Weighing in at 897 points out of a total 1,000, the home took top honors in many of the individual categories and features a solar roof capable of generating four times the amount of energy it consumes.

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Germany’s Solar Coated surPLUShome Wins Solar Decathlon!

by Bridgette Meinhold, 10/16/09

The final results just rolled in from this year’s Solar Decathlon, and team Germany’s sleek surPLUShome finished first in an incredible upset victory! The German team took top honors in the Net Metering and Engineering categories this morning, steamrolling the competition to secure their second Decathlon win. This year’s home features a sleek, dark facade that is almost completely covered in photovoltaic panels and can provide more than twice the amount of energy it needs. Check out our cool video from America.gov about the house after the jump!

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Team California’s Refract House Currently Leading Solar Decathlon!

by Bridgette Meinhold, 10/13/09

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We’re excited to report that as of today Team California is in 1st place at the Solar Decathlon competition going on right now in Washington DC with their stunning Refract House! Just moments ago, they emerged victorious from the Communications portion of the scoring and as of yesterday they received an almost perfect score of 98 out of a 100 for Architecture and a 92 out of a 100 for Market Viability – combined with their other scores, this puts them in 1st place as of now. Close on their tails are Team Germany and Team Ontario/BC, and all the teams are anticipating the remaining scores which will be rolling in throughtout the rest of the week culminating in the score for Net Metering, which garners the hugest chunk of points. Stay with us on Inhabitat for news and updates on the winning teams. We can’t wait to see who the winner is on Friday!

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SOLAR DECATHLON 2009: Rice University’s $140,000 ZEROW House Keeps Up With the High Rollers

The Solar Decathlon, the super solar architecture competition held in Washington D.C. bi-annually, officially kicked off today, and Rice University’s awesomely affordable ZEROW House is already making waves. The first round of evaluations took place yesterday, and this low-budget underdog placed 4th among the twenty competitors after being recognized in the categories Comfort Zone and Appliances. What is most impressive about this team is that the average budget of the 20 solar decathlon houses at the mall is $490,000, while the ZEROW home was built for only $140,000!!! Even more impressive, the ZEROW House was designed specifically for Houston’s Third Ward Neighborhood as part of Project Row House – an organization that seeks to develop housing for low-to moderate-income families.

Solar Decathlon 2009 Kicks Off TODAY in Washington DC!

It’s blue skies and sun showers in Washington, D.C. as the 2009 Solar Decathlon kicks off in a dazzling display of solar powered architecture. This bi-annual solar architecture event challenges 20 exceptional student teams from across North America to design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient home powered by the sun, and this year’s competition is showcasing an incredible lineup of designs. The Inhabitat team was excited to get a sneak peek at all the solar houses this week before the event opened to the public, and we’ll be bringing you live coverage of the event and sharing all of the stunning solar homes on display, so check out our Solar Decathlon coverage and stay tuned as we unveil our favorite projects!

+ Solar Decathlon 2009

+ Solar Decathlon 2007

+ Solar Decathlon Coverage

Natural Fusion: Penn State’s Solar Decathlon House

A team of students from Penn State recently unveiled their Natural Fusion residence, which has been selected as one of 20 ultra-efficient homes set to make an appearance at this year’s Solar Decathlon. The elegant structure is wrapped in living walls and utilizes a host of energy-efficient features including a green roof lined with photovoltaic panels and large windows that bathe the interiors in daylight.

SOLAR DECATHLON: University of Texas at Austin Green Home

The fabulous Solar Decathlon just wrapped up on this weekend, and was home to many a shining example in high-tech solar design. The University of Texas at Austin’s Bloom House took 10th place in the solar design competition, but really stood out to us as a paragon of beautiful zero-energy design. The team successfully brought a bit of “don’t mess with Texas” attitude to design, combining a large open plan with a Texas-sized kitchen, the greenest technologies, and warm local materials.

INHABITAT REPORTS FROM SOLAR DECATHLON – Photos!

We came, we saw, and we were won-over by the ingenious designs and architectural talent on display at this years Solar Decathlon on the Mall in Washington DC. As if it weren’t enough of a feat to design and build a zero-energy house which is ENTIRELY POWERED BY THE SUN, many of the student teams at this year’s Solar Decathlon went above and beyond the mere zero-energy requirements of the competition to produce architecturally stunning houses that are as beautiful and livable as they are energy efficient.

SOLAR DECATHLON 2007: University of Colorado Solar House

One of the biggest highlights from the 2007 Solar Decathlon comes from reigning victor University of Colorado- and the design is proving once again that the team has what it takes to be solar design champions. Committed to defending their 2002 and 2005 titles, the 2007 CU Solar Decathlon team has brought a versatile, modular design that integrates “shining” examples of solar technology, recycled shipping containers, and a super cool aesthetic.

SOLAR DECATHLON 2007: University of Cincinnati

What’s multi-colored, solar-powered, and green all over? The University of Cincinnati’s zero energy home at this year’s Solar Decathlon. The student team’s solution is not only a stylish-looking residence (the multi-colored “tiles” are recycled Formica), but is also easy to transport, scale, and modify in any way shape or form. Throw in some very green materials and systems, and you’ve got yourself a solar powerhouse!

SOLAR DECATHLON STARTS TOMORROW!

This year’s Solar Decathlon is just hours away- the festivities start TOMORROW in Washington DC with 20 college teams from around the globe competing to design, build, and operate the coolest, greenest energy-efficient, fully solar-powered house! Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Solar Decathlon is open to the public October 12th-20th at Washington’s National Mall. Come on down to find out whose design get their shining day in the sun as reigning solar champ! We’ll be there this weekend to report all the news.

SOLAR DECATHLON KICKS OFF THIS FRIDAY!

We’ve been anxiously awaiting this year’s Solar Decathlon event, and this Friday, October 12th, the festivities start in Washington DC with 20 college teams from around the globe competing to design, build, and operate the coolest, greenest energy-efficient, fully solar-powered house! Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Solar Decathlon is open to the public October 12th-20th at Washington’s National Mall. Come on down to find out whose design get their shining day in the sun as reigning solar champ! We’ll be there this weekend to report all the news.

SOLAR DECATHLON: Solar house design competition

How difficult is it to design a house fully powered by the sun? That’s what the U.S. Department of Energy is trying to find out. To do this, they have staged, once again, the Solar decathlon, a competition challenging 20 college teams from around the globe to design, build, and operate an energy-efficient, fully solar-powered house that will be able to satisfy the needs of a typical family, and look good doing it.

Last week, the National Mall in Washington, D.C. was host to a solar village constructed of the 18 entries in the 3rd annual U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon. Defending their title, the University of Colorado won the competition, prevailing in three of ten divisions. Judged on several requirements including architecture, energy balance, communication of ideas, and comfort, the projects produced exceptional case studies on the integration of renewable energy with practical building solutions.