Skip to main content

Blog

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon Blog provides regular updates about Solar Decathlon news and events.

Displaying 1 - 10 of 372

Register for the Solar Decathlon 2025 Design Challenge by Oct. 23!
Authored on
Solar Decathletes in the 2024 Design Challenge pose with their certificates at the final competition event in Golden, Colorado. (Credit: National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

Only three weeks remain for college students to join the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Decathlon® 2025 Design Challenge!

Register by Oct. 23, 2024 to compete against teams from around the world in DOE’s longest-running student competition focused on zero-energy building design.

Each year, Design Challenge teams create high-performance, low-carbon building designs that address real-world issues such as community impacts, affordability, and resilience. Finalist teams are invited to the competition event at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, in April 2025 to compete against U.S. and international teams.

Solar Decathlon Kickoff Webinar, Plus New Mentor Opportunities
Authored on
People Standing for a photo

2024 Design Challenge

Join the Kickoff Webinar for the 2025 Design Challenge on Sept. 10

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® 2025 Design Challenge is open for registration!

Interested in designing buildings that better serve your community? Join the kickoff webinar on Sept. 10 at noon ET to learn about the changes to the competition for this year, including division changes and the new “Innovative Retrofit Project” and “Innovative Equity Project” awards. The webinar will be geared toward interested students and faculty members.

Be sure to register your team for the 2025 Design Challenge no later than Oct. 23 to be able to participate. Questions? Email SDDesign@nrel.gov.

2025 Design Challenge, Mentors, Volunteers, Webinars

Design for a Better-Built World – Join the Solar Decathlon 2025 Design Challenge!
Authored on
Group of students standing together, facing the camera and smiling with their hands raised in waves. Students from the University of Arizona won multiple awards at the 2024 Design Challenge for their partnership with the Hopi Tribe to design the Tawa’ovi Community Development project. Photo: NREL.

Registration is now open for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® 2025 Design Challenge! In this challenge, interdisciplinary collegiate teams will create efficient, resilient, and sustainable buildings that meet community needs as part of DOE’s longest-running student competition.

Each year, Design Challenge teams compete to create high-performance, low-carbon building designs that address real-world issues such as existing building retrofits, community impacts, affordability, and resilience. Learn more about the competition through the 2024 Design Challenge Recap video.

2025 Design Challenge, Design Challenge

DOE Announces Solar Decathlon 2024 Design Challenge Winners
Authored on
The team from The University of Arizona earned the Grand Winner award in the 2024 Design Challenge. The team from The University of Arizona earned the Grand Winner award in the 2024 Design Challenge.

Today the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Decathlon® DOE’s longest-running student competition, announced the winners of the 2024 Design Challenge.

The Solar Decathlon challenges the next generation of building professionals to design high-performance, low-carbon buildings powered by renewable energy, promoting student innovation, STEM education, and workforce development opportunities in the buildings industry. The Solar Decathlon’s Design Challenge is a one- to two-semester, design-only competition.

Filter By Date