Home Entertainment
The Home Entertainment Contest in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon gauges whether a house has what it takes to be a home. How well does it accommodate the pleasures of living, such as sharing meals with friends and family, watching movies in a home theater, and surfing the Web? How well does it accommodate a small home office for a telecommuter?
The contest includes:
- Holding two dinner parties for neighbors, who award the host team points based on the quality of the meal, ambiance, and overall experience
- Keeping all interior and exterior house lights on during specified periods of time
- Operating a television and computer during specified time periods
- Hosting a movie night for neighbors, who rate their hosts based on the quality and design of the home theater system as well as ambiance and overall experience
- Simulating cooking by using a kitchen appliance to vaporize 5 pounds (80 oz or 2.268 kg) of water within a specified period of time.
