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Orange County Great Park, Irvine, California
October 8-18, 2015

Market Appeal Contest (100 points)

Each U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2015 team built its house for a target client of its choosing. The Market Appeal jury, composed of professionals from the homebuilding industry, evaluated the responsiveness of the house design to the characteristics and requirements of that target client. New for 2015, all houses had to be designed as primary residences occupied year-round.

The jury considered:

  • Livability
    • Did the design offer a safe, functional, convenient, comfortable, and enjoyable place to live?
    • Did it offer appropriate lighting, entertainment, and other controls?
    • Did it meet the unique needs and desires of the target client?

  • Marketability
    • Did the house have interior and exterior appeal?
    • Were the material, equipment, and detailing choices appealing?
    • Did sustainability features and strategies contribute to the house's marketability?
    • Was the house a good value for potential homebuyers?

  • Buildability
    • Did the drawings and construction specifications enable a contractor to generate an accurate construction cost estimate and then construct the house as it was intended to be built?