Solar Decathlon News Blog

Appalachian State University won the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 People’s Choice Award for its Solar Homestead today. This award gives the public the opportunity to vote for its favorite house. This year, 92,538 votes were cast. The award was announced at a Victory Reception in the solar Village in West Potomac Park—the last official event of Solar Decathlon 2011.

On Friday, Sept. 30, 2011, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu spoke with Jeffrey Tiller, left, and David Lee, right, members of Appalachian State’s Solar Decathlon team. (Credit: Stefano Paltera/U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon)

“The team’s passion and enthusiasm were contagious,” said Terri Jones, Solar Decathlon Communications Contest official. “The People’s Choice Award is a popular vote, and I believe the Solar Homestead house and team appealed to people on many levels.”

The Solar Homestead is a self-sustaining net zero-energy house inspired by the pioneer spirit of the early settlers to the Blue Ridge Mountains. The isolation of early settlers to the Appalachian region fostered a pioneer spirit in those who established self-sustaining living/working compounds on the frontier. The Solar Homestead fuses these values into a highly energy-efficient home, which remains true to these underlying principles by integrating renewable resources and innovative technology into a prototype that is adaptable, self-sufficient, rugged, affordable, and attractive.

As announced earlier this week, Appalachian State also won second place in the Communications Contest and third place in the Architecture Contest. Appalachian State University is located in Boone, North Carolina.

Carol Anna is the communications manager of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 isn’t over yet! Tomorrow—Sunday, Oct. 2—is the last day the public can visit the solar village. And there’s plenty to do!

The houses will be on public display from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. at West Potomac Park on the National Mall.

Visitors wait in line earlier this week to tour the highly energy-efficient solar houses at the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 in Washington, D.C. (Credit: Stefano Paltera/U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon)

Consumer workshops run throughout the day, beginning at 10 a.m. You can learn about energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies that can save you money at home. Workshops are free. For a list of tomorrow’s workshop topics, see the daily schedule.

Get directions to the site, see the free public shuttle schedule, or learn more about tours of the houses and village. 

Carol Anna is the communications manager of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.

Consistently appearing in first place in overall standings throughout the competition, the University of Maryland won the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced the competition results today before an excited audience that packed the main tent in the solar village.

“Maryland is a well-experienced team. After taking second place in 2007, they rested and regrouped in 2009 and came to West Potomac Park in 2011 focused and determined to win,” said Solar Decathlon Director Richard King. “In addition, Maryland’s Watershed is a beautiful house, judged first place in Architecture, which also performed impeccably in measured contests. This team mastered their strategies to ensure they excelled in all 10 contests.”

Purdue University took second place in the competition, and New Zealand (Victoria University of Wellington) received the third-place award.

The winner of the competition is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency.

Results for the fifth and final juried contest, Market Appeal, were announced today prior to the competition winners. Middlebury College placed first.

“Self-Reliance left the jury very impressed, eclipsing our expectations across the board in livability and marketability,” said Brad Beeson, Market Appeal juror. “Middlebury College defined its market carefully—a young family of four with a modest income for the region—and demonstrated the fit for that target market with a very compelling video.”

Maryland came in second in Market Appeal, and New Zealand came in third.

The Market Appeal contest judges each house’s livability, buildability, and marketability.

For more final results, see the Solar Decathlon 2011 scores and standings.

Carol Anna is the communications manager of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon’s influence is expanding around the world. This competition, we have international teams from Belgium, Canada, China, and New Zealand that bring different perspectives and add to the debate about how to design sustainable homes. We love their fresh approaches and cultural influences. Even the cricket games in New Zealand’s side yard, which just happens to be a softball diamond, adds a twist to the neighborhood.

Representatives of several countries met to discuss international Solar Decathlon competitions. (Credit: Richard King/U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon)

Solar Decathlon competitions are also expanding internationally. The first Solar Decathlon Europe took place in Madrid, Spain, last year, and its organizers are planning to hold the second one next year. Solar Decathlon Europe was very successful, with 190,000 visitors and 17 houses that were innovative and stunningly beautiful. The competition captured the hearts and minds of Europe, and now other countries are interested in hosting Solar Decathlon Europe 2014. For example, we have received a wonderful offer from France to host the next Solar Decathlon Europe in Versailles.

This January, the Department of Energy and the National Energy Administration in China signed a memorandum of understanding to hold the first Solar Decathlon China. The competition will be organized in part by Peking University. Ten cities submitted bids to hold the event, and the city of Datong was selected. Its proposal stated that the city would build a renewable energy theme park around the Solar Decathlon village with hotel space and transportation for the students and the general public.  It also is offering to purchase some of the houses so they can be on permanent display in the renewable theme park.

Other countries are also interested in holding their own Solar Decathlons. Representatives from Australia and South Africa visited us this week to learn about this year’s Solar Decathlon. They gathered information to take back to their governments to try to develop competitions on their continents.

It is gratifying to know that the event is growing worldwide and helping educate an ever-increasing number of people. That’s the best way to win in the long run.

Richard King is director of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.

With exemplary communications materials, public tours, and website, Middlebury College received first place in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon Communications Contest today.

“Middlebury College, this year’s winner of the Communications Contest, is a very authentic team that conveyed the best of New England architecture. This team’s holistic approach to communications was refreshing; they achieved in all aspects of communications—not just in one area,” said Ryan Park, director of business development for REC Solar Inc., who presented the award on behalf of the Communications Contest jurors. “This team made renewable energy technologies familiar to the public, which we believe will help people more easily embrace these technologies. And isn’t that what it’s all about?”

Appalachian State University received second place for its contagious passion and enthusiasm. The jurors felt the team offered the best menu of creatively explained ideas that visitors could take home and implement today.

Winning third place, the University of Maryland presented consistent messaging, strong educational exhibit components, and a compelling story.

The Communications contest jury evaluated:

• Web content quality, appropriateness, and originality
• Video walkthrough information, the accuracy of the representation of the as-built house on the competition site, accessible captioning, clarity of the audio narrative, and creativity
• The quality of onsite graphics, photos, displays, and signage
• The delivery of messages to target audiences and people of all abilities
• The use of innovative methods to engage audiences, including Web site visitors and people waiting to tour a house.

“Some people might wonder why communications is included in a competition to design and build solar houses. It’s important because communication is our tool for educating the greater population about everything we’re working toward with the Solar Decathlon,” said Richard King, Solar Decathlon director. “In fact, communication is the most powerful thing you can do to spread our message across the globe. We’re not going to succeed if people don’t know what we’re doing. We’re here to show our houses and tell our story. Otherwise, there’s no reason to be here.”

For full scoring details, visit the Communications Contest scores page.

Carol Anna is the communications manager of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.