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Being an EcoGeek is becoming ever more fashionable. And increasingly, there are events where EcoGeeks can gather in style. The Solar Decathlon is a biannual event, pitting colleges and universities across the nation in ten contests that "center on the ways we use energy in our daily lives."
The Solar Decathlon joins 20 college and university teams in a competition to design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered house.
From October 12-20, the Solar Decathlon will be open to visitors on the Mall in Washington, DC. There is so much there that a true Ecogeek can expect it to take two days to visit all 20 team houses. (Visitor info.)
The contest is quite focused:
the development and demonstration of solar-powered homes in which, by the year 2015, the whole-house, levelized energy cost has been reduced to $.10/kWh. This needs to be achieved while complying with the criteria associated with the 10 contests that the competition comprises.
What is the basic criteria?
To compete, the teams must design and build energy-efficient homes that are powered exclusively by the sun. The homes must be attractive and easy to live in. They must maintain a comfortable temperature, provide attractive and adequate lighting, power household appliances for cooking and cleaning, power home electronics, and provide hot water. These houses must also power an electric vehicle to meet household transportation needs.
The homes will be judged on performance, completion of tasks, and aesthetics. It has to look good, support a family, and produce power. And, well, the team has to do a good job marketing (communicating) with the 10,000s of visitors.
The contest is international; three of the 20 teams are non-US (Canada; Spain; Germany).
This is a must-do event for any EcoGeek who can get there -- whether in person or virtually.
See you there ...
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written by livegreener, October 04, 2007
Anyway, I wanted to actually thank you for posting about the Solar Decathlon in D.C. I was unaware that it was going on--I may actually attend and cover that on my blog later this month. Thanks again and keep up the good work.
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written by Albert, October 04, 2007
Biannual means twice per year.
Biennial means occuring every two years.
The solar decathlon is a biennial event.
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/biannual
http://mw1.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biennial
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written by Albert, October 04, 2007
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written by Marilyn Terrell, October 17, 2007
Tip: As you exit the Smithsonian Metro station there's a long line for the Darmstadt house, but the other houses don't have nearly such long lines-- walk on down the Mall and see the others. Carnegie Mellon's got a great one, with stepped gardens and pipes on the outside that heat water for radiant-heated floors, and the MIT house has a dual-flush toilet and a translucent glass wall that stores heat for 24 hours. The U. Illinois/Urbana group is very good at explaining their features. Not only must the houses generate enough energy for heating and appliances, they also must produce enough excess energy to power a plug-in electric car!
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Noticing that the house is supposed to also fuel a vehicle indicates where the future lies according to the solargeeks - with ALL our energy needs supplied by the sun and no emissions. And with thin film around the corner and spray on solar achievable, I see no reason why we can't realize this dream. .