Solar Decathlon Blog

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.

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2024 Design Challenge

ICYMI: 2024 Design Challenge Winners Partner with Hopi Tribe, Look to Construct

In case you missed the announcement, The University of Arizona is the Grand Winner of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® 2024 Design Challenge!

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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.

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Forty teams from 37 collegiate institutions are advancing to the final stage of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Decathlon® 2024 Design Challenge based on their cutting-edge, zero energy building designs.

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3 Days Remain! Nominate for the Solar Decathlon Alumni/Faculty Awards by Feb. 1

Only 3 days remain to nominate an outstanding U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon^® alumni or faculty lead for the Solar Decathlon Awards!

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Nominate an Outstanding Solar Decathlon Alum or Faculty Member by Feb. 1!

Know a Solar Decathlon alum or faculty lead who should be celebrated for accomplishments in the buildings industry? Nominate them for the Solar Decathlon Alumni/Faculty Awards!

These annual awards are given to past U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Decathlon® participants at the student or faculty level who have made outstanding contributions to the transition to a clean energy economy.

Nominate by Feb. 1 to be considered. Winners will be announced in April 2024 at the Solar Decathlon Competition Event at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado.

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105 teams from 93 collegiate institutions are leading the charge on tackling climate change by designing high-performance, zero energy buildings as part of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon^® 2024 Design Challenge.

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This fall DOE will be engaging stakeholders to solicit feedback on an updated competition model for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Decathlon^® Build Challenge. DOE is examining options that would align the structure and impact of the program to further support the Building Technologies Office’s decarbonization goals, building on the 20 years of demonstrated success of the Solar Decathlon. Because of the time needed to provide ample opportunity for stakeholder engagement and feedback, DOE will not hold a 2025 Build Challenge competition.

If you are interested in participating in this effort, please contact Jaime Van Mourik at jaime.vanmourik@ee.doe.gov.

Students and faculty from the 2023 Design Challenge Howard University team pose with their trophy. (Photo by Vern Slocum, NREL)

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Join the 2024 Design Challenge by October 18, 2023, to compete in, mentor, or judge the international zero energy building design competition.

_{Students from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, present their high-performance building design at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, during the Solar Decathlon 2023 Competition Event.}

Less than four weeks remain to be a part of the 2024 Design Challenge with the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon^®!

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Thinking about joining the 2024 Design Challenge?

Jump into your U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon^® competition experience at the kickoff webinar!

Join us on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, at 1 p.m. EDT to hear about:

• Design Challenge changes for 2024, including new division breakdowns and the 10 updated contests.
• Mentor program opportunities for alumni and current teams.
• Competition timelines, including the semifinal and final events.
• And more…

Add the Sept. 5 kickoff webinar to your calendar today!

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Are you a student or professor interested in transforming buildings to tackle the climate crisis?

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon^® is seeking collegiate student participants from diverse majors to join the next round of the zero energy building design competition. Students from collegiate institutions in the United States and around the world are encouraged to form interdisciplinary teams and register!

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A Solar Decathlon alum gives a STEM career talk to high school students.

Solar Decathlon Pathways (SD Pathways) is back this fall, bringing STEM career talks to U.S. high school classrooms—and we are looking for alumni and educators to participate!

SD Pathways introduces high school students to clean energy and STEM careers by connecting them with U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon^® alumni.

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_{Solar Decathlon 2023 Design Challenge teams showcase models of their sustainable building designs during the Competition Event at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Photo by Vern Slocum, NREL.}

Are you a collegiate student interested in transforming buildings to serve communities and the planet? The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon^® is seeking student participants from diverse majors to join the next round of the zero-energy building design competition.

The Design Challenge is an annual design competition challenging interdisciplinary teams of collegiate students to create high-performance, low-carbon building designs that address real-world issues related to climate resilience, affordability, and environmental justice.

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This advanced-level course is for those familiar with building sciences who want to gain practical experience with zero energy projects or instruction.

Zero energy building rendering courtesy of Deborah Lin Pérez Centeno, former SD Pro participant.

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon^® is partnering with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to host the next Solar Decathlon Professionals Program (SD Pro) cohort!

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