DIY Network

Solar Decathlon: Competition Overview From "Special Presentation" episode DSDL05-S

Take 18 highly spirited teams, 10 challenging contests and a mission to make solar power a viable energy alternative...and you’ve got the makings of the Solar Decathlon!

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	It's midnight, and trucks are arriving on the National Mall.
	In 2002, Richard King of the Department of Energy started this competition by building the first solar village.
	Most materials provide a high R-value. The higher the value the better the insulation.
	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E

Solar Decathlon

On the National Mall in Washington DC, 80 trucks are pulling in that carry parts needed to build fully functioning solar-powered homes...18 of them, from 14 states and three countries.

This is now the start of the second Solar Decathlon. There are only seven days to build the village so every minute is precious. The Solar Decathlon demonstrates that solar really works and energy efficiency does indeed pay off.

Since the first decathlon, teams have been designing, planning and building their homes on campus. The houses will be judged in ten different contests including architecture, maintaining a hot water supply, lighting, cooking, operating an electric car and an overall energy balance. Each category is worth points and the home with the most wins.

Innovative Materials

As construction on the homes begins, so does the use of many innovative building materials. These materials are vital to keeping the solar homes energy efficient.

New York Institute of Technology Solar Decathlon Team

• Using an agriboard material that is compressed wheat straw (figure A). It has very high insulative properties that make it a good thermal barrier.

Pittsburgh Synergy Solar Decathlon Team

• Making use of a SIP, or structurally insulated panel (figure B). They chose this type of construction for their walls, roof and floors. The panels are structural; you can span, load and stack them. It is also a terrific insulator.

University of Missouri at Rolla Solar Decathlon Team

• Using polyurethane foam instead of polystyrene foam (figure C). Polyurethane foam has a higher R-value because it is denser and does not give off gas formaldehyde.

University of Colorado Solar Decathlon Team

• The returning champions.

• Has made a low petroleum alternative made out of 3/4 inch sonoboard (figure D). This honey-combed shaped compressed cardboard is made out of 100% post-consumer recycled cardboard and 5-1/2 inches of soybean based poly-urethane foam. One small wall has an R-value of about 35.

Each house is powered by photovoltaic panels which collect sunlight, turning it into electricity (figure E). The solar energy is stored in a battery bank for household use. When it's needed, the DC battery power is converted to normal household AC electricity with the use of an inverter. The key to winning the decathlon is the ultra-efficient use of that stored solar energy.

The first step before doing anything else is to reduce the amount of energy that your house needs. That comes with architectural design, using efficient materials in your walls and using efficient materials in your windows. It also comes with using efficient appliances and lights so you reduce your demand for electricity.

For more information on the Solar Decathlon competition and the teams that participated, click HERE!

RESOURCES :

Solar Decathlon
Website: www.solardecathlon.com

Solar Decathlon Product Directory
Website: www.ebike.net/sd/index.php?source=doe

California Polytechnic State University
Website: www.solardecathlon.calpoly.edu/

Canadian Solar Decathlon
Concordia University and Universite de Montreal
Website: www.canadiansolar.org

Cornell University
Website: www.cusd.cornell.edu/

Crowder College
Website: www.crowder.edu/solar/2005/

Florida International University
Website: www.solar.fiu.edu/

New York Institute of Technology
Website: http://iris.nyit.edu/solardecathlon/

Pittsburgh Synergy
Carnegie Mellon, University of Pittsburgh and
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh
Website: www.pittsburghsynergy.org

Rhode Island School of Design
Website: http://solar.risd.edu/

Universidad Politecnica de Madrid
Website: www.solardecathlon.upm.es/

Universidad de Puerto Rico
Website: http://solar.uprm.edu/

University of Colorado, Denver and Boulder
Website: http://solar.colorado.edu/

University of Maryland
Website: www.solarhouse.umd.edu/

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Website: www.umassd.edu/solar/

University of Michigan
Website: www.misohouse.org

University of Missouri-Rolla and
Rolla Technical Institute
Website: http://solarhouse.umr.edu/

University of Texas at Austin
Website: www.utsolard.org

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Website: http://vtsolar.arch.vt.edu/

Washington State University
Website: www.arch.wsu.edu/solardec/