The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is a collegiate competition of 10 contests that challenge student teams to design and build full-size, solar-powered houses. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends design excellence and smart energy production with innovation, market potential, and energy and water efficiency.

Solar Decathlon is more than a competition. It’s an intensive learning experience for consumers and homeowners as they experience the latest technologies and materials in energy-efficient design, clean energy technologies, smart home solutions, water conservation measures, electric vehicles, and sustainable buildings.

Collegiate teams spend almost two years designing and building energy-efficient houses powered by the sun. In the final competition, the teams and their houses go head to head in 10 contests to determine an overall winner.

The 2017 competition has been enhanced with challenging new contests that emphasize:

• Innovation
• Water use and re-use strategies
• Smart energy use
• Market potential.

In addition, Solar Decathlon 2017 will continue to emphasize:

• Cost-effective architectural and engineering design
• Energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, appliances, and electronics
• Occupant health and comfort
• Communications.

For the first time in the event's history, teams are eligible for cash prizes. Each team that successfully builds a solar house at the competition site will receive at least $100,000 for rising to the challenge, and top finishers will receive significantly more.

Like the Olympic decathlon, the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon consists of 10 contests. The contests evaluate cost-effective design; innovation balanced with market potential; water and energy efficiency; energy production and time-of-use energy; and communications strategies. For the first time in 2017, teams are eligible for cash prizes. At the end of the competition, the teams will be ranked according to their net score and will earn prizes as follows:

• 1st: $300,000
• 2nd: $225,000
• 3rd: $150,000
• 4th: $125,000
• 5th plus: $100,000.

Each Solar Decathlon contest is worth a maximum of 100 points, for a potential competition total of 1,000 points. Teams can earn points three ways:

• Task Completion Teams complete tasks that simulate modern living. They perform household chores such as cooking and doing laundry. They host dinner parties and game nights for fellow competitors. And, they are required to log miles driving an electric vehicle charged by the house's solar electric system.
• Monitored Performance Team houses and appliances perform to specified criteria, such as maintaining indoor temperature and humidity within a tight range, ensuring refrigerators maintain appropriate temperatures, and carefully controlling the flow of electricity between the house and the utility.
• Jury Evaluation Jurors who are experts in fields, such as architecture, engineering, homebuilding, water use and reuse, and communications, award points for features that cannot be measured, such as aesthetics, design inspiration and innovation.

Contests based on task completion or monitored performance are called measured contests; contests based on jury evaluation are call juried contests.

This competition has not yet listed it's awards.

Website: https://www.solardecathlon.gov

Managing Organization: United States Department of Energy

Contact:

Solar.Decathlon@ee.doe.gov

Eligibility:
Students must participate through their university. Students should either see if their university has a current team, and if not, contact the solar decathlon to explore starting a new student team at your university. The Solar Decathlon is open to colleges, universities, and other post-secondary educational institutions. Entry is determined through a proposal process. All proposals are reviewed, scored, and ranked. Subject to the quantity and quality of proposals, a limited number of teams will be selected for entry.

Registration Opens: January 1, 1970

Registration Closes: January 1, 1970

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is a collegiate competition of 10 contests that challenge student teams to design and build full-size, solar-powered houses. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends design excellence and smart energy production with innovation, market potential, and energy and water efficiency.

Solar Decathlon is more than a competition. It’s an intensive learning experience for consumers and homeowners as they experience the latest technologies and materials in energy-efficient design, clean energy technologies, smart home solutions, water conservation measures, electric vehicles, and sustainable buildings.

Collegiate teams spend almost two years designing and building energy-efficient houses powered by the sun. In the final competition, the teams and their houses go head to head in 10 contests to determine an overall winner.

The 2017 competition has been enhanced with challenging new contests that emphasize:

• Innovation
• Water use and re-use strategies
• Smart energy use
• Market potential.

In addition, Solar Decathlon 2017 will continue to emphasize:

• Cost-effective architectural and engineering design
• Energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, appliances, and electronics
• Occupant health and comfort
• Communications.

For the first time in the event's history, teams are eligible for cash prizes. Each team that successfully builds a solar house at the competition site will receive at least $100,000 for rising to the challenge, and top finishers will receive significantly more.

Like the Olympic decathlon, the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon consists of 10 contests. The contests evaluate cost-effective design; innovation balanced with market potential; water and energy efficiency; energy production and time-of-use energy; and communications strategies. For the first time in 2017, teams are eligible for cash prizes. At the end of the competition, the teams will be ranked according to their net score and will earn prizes as follows:

• 1st: $300,000
• 2nd: $225,000
• 3rd: $150,000
• 4th: $125,000
• 5th plus: $100,000.

Each Solar Decathlon contest is worth a maximum of 100 points, for a potential competition total of 1,000 points. Teams can earn points three ways:

• Task Completion Teams complete tasks that simulate modern living. They perform household chores such as cooking and doing laundry. They host dinner parties and game nights for fellow competitors. And, they are required to log miles driving an electric vehicle charged by the house's solar electric system.
• Monitored Performance Team houses and appliances perform to specified criteria, such as maintaining indoor temperature and humidity within a tight range, ensuring refrigerators maintain appropriate temperatures, and carefully controlling the flow of electricity between the house and the utility.
• Jury Evaluation Jurors who are experts in fields, such as architecture, engineering, homebuilding, water use and reuse, and communications, award points for features that cannot be measured, such as aesthetics, design inspiration and innovation.

Contests based on task completion or monitored performance are called measured contests; contests based on jury evaluation are call juried contests.

This competition has not yet listed it's awards.

Website: https://www.solardecathlon.gov

Managing Organization: United States Department of Energy

Contact:

Solar.Decathlon@ee.doe.gov

Entry Fee:

Eligibility:
Students must participate through their university. Students should either see if their university has a current team, and if not, contact the solar decathlon to explore starting a new student team at your university. The Solar Decathlon is open to colleges, universities, and other post-secondary educational institutions. Entry is determined through a proposal process. All proposals are reviewed, scored, and ranked. Subject to the quantity and quality of proposals, a limited number of teams will be selected for entry.

Registration Opens: January 1, 1970

Registration Closes: January 1, 1970