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Denver, Colorado
October 5-15, 2017

The Solar Decathlon 2017 Competition

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is a life-changing competition for collegiate students and an intensive course in sustainability for consumers.

Collegiate teams spend almost two years designing and building energy-efficient houses powered by the sun. In the final competition, the teams and their houses go head to head in 10 contests to determine an overall winner.

The 2017 competition was enhanced with challenging new contests to emphasize:

  • Innovation
  • Water use and re-use strategies
  • Smart energy use
  • Market potential.

In addition, Solar Decathlon 2017 emphasized:

  • Cost-effective architectural and engineering design
  • Energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, appliances, and electronics
  • Occupant health and comfort
  • Communications.

For the first time in the event's history, teams were eligible for cash prizes. Each team that successfully built a solar house at the competition site would receive at least $100,000 for rising to the challenge, and top finishers would receive significantly more.

Learn more about the Solar Decathlon 2017: