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Photo of a group of people in matching T-shirts and hard harts standing at the end of a long retaining wall with a row of signs attached. One person is polishing the last sign.

Team Ontario/BC members put the finishing touches on their house signage before the Solar Decathlon 2009 opening day.

Solar Decathlon 2009

Communications

(75 points)

The Solar Decathlon challenges teams to communicate the technical aspects of their houses, as well as their experiences, to a wide audience through Web sites and the public exhibit of their houses on the National Mall. The Communications contest awarded points based on their success in delivering clear and consistent messages and images that represent the vision, process, and results of their project. A jury of Web site development and public relations experts evaluated the team Web sites, communications plans, and National Mall exhibits for effectiveness.

In addition, the jurors assessed each team's:

  • Planning and audience analysis
  • Web content quality, appropriateness, and originality
  • Information presentation, including graphics, photos, Web site organization, and on-site displays
  • Branding to help make the project identifiable or memorable in some way
  • Delivery of team messages to target audiences and people of all abilities
  • Innovation of methods to engage audiences, including the Web site visitors and people waiting to tour the home.