| Over 20 teams of students from all over the world will converge on the nation's capitol on October 12-20, 2007 to construct what they hope will be the winning home design showcasing energy efficiency using solar power. Contest rules require that each house generate enough energy from the sun to operate a household, a home-based business and related transportation needs. Teams are judged in ten different categories, seven of which focus on energy efficiency; others include design and comfort of the house. The team with the most points – the most energy-efficient and innovatively designed house – wins.
This year's competition will also be filmed for a reality series that will help raise needed funding and awareness for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research. The disease is the most common lethal genetic disease of children worldwide. Kevin Weisman, who played “Marshall” in the ABC-TV series Alias, will be participating in the series, as will a number of other celebrities. (Sponsors for the reality series are also being sought. If you are interested in further information, please email Kyle Kyllan at 24wise@sbcglobal.net or visit http://www.dmdfund.org/). The series will be produced by award-winning director-producer Jeff Scheftel, originator of the History Channels’ Modern Marvels series.
The following teams have been selected to compete through a proposal system:
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, MI
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY
*Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA
Team Montreal (École de Technologie Supérieure, Université de
Montréal, McGill University), Montreal, CANADA
Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, GERMANY
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras and Mayagüez, PR
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, SPAIN
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (Winner 2005)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
University of Maryland, College Park, MD
University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, MO
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
*Santa Clara University added as a participant; California Polytechnic State University withdrew from the competition.
The teams will assemble their homes on the Mall and will be open to the public. The Solar Decathlon takes place every other year; the 2005 winner was the University of Colorado.
For more information please visit http://www.eere.energy.gov/solar_decathlon/ |
V 1.0
