DIY Network

Solar Decathlon: The Competitions, Part 1 From "Special Presentation" episode DSDL05-S

These houses not only have to look good, but they have to work and then the teams have to prove that by taxing them really hard. That's where the competition comes in. Each house is about to be judged and awarded points in ten different contests.

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The interior needs to be comfortable, as well as beautiful.

Competitions

1. Architecture
2. Dwelling
3. Documentation
4. Communication
5. Comfort zone
6. Appliances
7. Hot water
8. Lighting
9. Energy balance
10. Getting around (solar-powered car)

Architecture & Dwelling Competitions

The architecture and dwelling juries are going through all of the houses. That's 300 points, 27% of the total points being scored. Each contest is worth a maximum of 100 points, except architecture. Architecture gets 200 points because it's very important that the houses look aesthetically pleasing.

The dwelling judges are looking for comfort, if the house will allow for privacy and if the environment is enjoyable. The architectural jurors are looking for the quality of integration of engineering and architecture, a beautiful house that feels comfortable to live in and one that really starts to push the boundaries of how you integrate something like solar technology into a house and still make it livable.

Florida International University Solar Decathlon Team

• Home has unique U-shape around a central courtyard.

• Insulated glass walls bring the outdoors in, creating light and a modern looking interior.

• Bathroom has an open layout with heat absorbing stones around the base of the shower.

• Kitchen has a magnetic, energy efficient cook top that heats only the bottom of a pan.

• Windows double as energy-collecting photovoltaic panels.

Maryland Solar Decathlon Team

• Spacious environment by hiding all of the mechanical elements under the living space.

• Structure cantilevers out on stilts minimizing its footprint on the site.

• Curved roof not only looks futuristic, but it also allows the photovoltaic panels to take full advantage of the sun.

Madrid Solar Decathlon Team

• Exterior is clad in ceramic tile giving it a Mediterranean feel. The air chambers in the tiles help insulate the house.

• Interior has European flavor.

• Under the floor, a high tech gel helps regulate the interior temperature by storing and releasing heat.

Dwelling & Architecture Winners

1st Place: Virginia Tech Solar Decathlon Team

Dwelling

• Three polycarbonate walls and the roof of the Tech house form a turntable enclosure that can be easily adjusted, keeping the home comfortable in any climate zone.

• Attention to detail and impeccable fit and finish make the house universally appealing.

Architecture

• Modern design incorporates a butterfly roof...catching rainwater for the garden and fish pond and putting their solar panels at an optimal angle.

• Interior of the house is both functional and a little whimsical.

• Light colored fabric on the ceiling reflects light and gives the 640 square foot interior a larger feeling overall.

2nd Place: Cal Poly Solar Decathlon Team

Dwelling & Architecture

• Adopted a keep-it-simple, low tech approach for their home...using bamboo flooring and recycled interior wood cladding.

• Clean lines and open California layout earned them high points for livability.

3rd Place: Tie between Cornell and New York Institute of Technology Solar Decathlon Teams

New York Technology

• Able to house all the home's mechanical elements as well as the kitchen, bathroom and roof garden in container.

• Every inch of the loft style layout is utilized, requiring the design and construction of energy efficient furniture.

Cornell

• Created a home and garden that showcases sustainability.

• Took the approach of something you can eat is something that can have ornamental function as well.

• Interior mostly finished in bamboo, it's a fast growing, eco friendly choice.

	Greg Barker monitors the performance of each house.
	The photovoltaic panels on these houses are as diverse as their designs.

Scoring

The Department of Energy team will spend the next four days monitoring the performance of each house. The way it works is there is judged competitions like architecture dwelling that happen once and they get so many points. Then, there are other measured competitions like temperature and humidity that occur every 15 minutes. The teams are awarded a fraction of a point if they meet a certain goal and that gets added up over the entire week. Those points are then added to all the other scores and that will determine the winner of the whole decathlon.

Photovoltaic Panels

Madrid wanted a sleek, seamless look so they used a custom made frameless panel. The University of Texas team used a semitransparent PVS that doubled as an overhang. The glass panel provides shade while generating electricity.The University of Missouri utilizes a combination system that unites PV panels with solar heated hot water in the same roof space.

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/