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Solar Decathlon Blog

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

Exclusive Solar Decathlon Webinar, Industrialized Construction

November 7, 2022

A Blok modular apartment unit is installed at the NREL Research Block. (Photo courtesy of NREL)

A Blok modular apartment unit is installed at the NREL Research Block. (Photo courtesy of NREL)

Solar Decathlon has long been synonymous with digestible building science education. Now, the competition is launching a new initiative—SD Studio—to feature one cutting-edge building topic in depth each academic year. This year’s topic is industrialized construction!

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Last Chance to Join Solar Decathlon in 2023!

October 24, 2022

2022 Design Challenge Residential Grand Winners from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

2022 Design Challenge Residential Grand Winners from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Register for the 2023 Design Challenge by the October 26 deadline!

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Become a Solar Decathlon Alumni Mentor!

October 12, 2022

Industry professionals connect with Solar Decathlon students during Career Connections at the 2022 Competition Event.

Industry professionals connect with Solar Decathlon students during Career Connections at the 2022 Competition Event.

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® is looking for program alumni to serve as mentors for current 2023 Design Challenge teams!

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20th Anniversary Alum Spotlight: Kathleen Robertson, 2002 Solar Decathlete

October 6, 2022

The first Solar Decathlon collegiate competition was held 20 years ago in the fall of 2002. Back then, teams had to convince the public that solar panels could even power a home. Today, the Solar Decathlon has grown to include more than 25,000 alumni, hundreds of zero energy buildings, and high-performance, low-carbon designs that go far beyond solar.  screenshot from the 20th Anniversary Alum Spotlight: Kathleen Robertson, 2002 Solar Decathlete

To celebrate the 20th anniversary, we talked with Kathleen Robertson, director of policy, government affairs, and markets at Sol Systems, about her experience on the University of Virginia team during the inaugural competition.

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One Month Left! Join the Solar Decathlon to Solve the Climate Crisis One Zero Energy Building at a Time

September 26, 2022

Solar Decsthlon participants presenting to the jury.

One month remains for collegiate teams to register for the next U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® cycle! Change the status quo of the built environment by imagining a zero-energy building of the future as part of the hands-on 2023 Design Challenge.

Register your team today! Registration closes on October 26 at 5 p.m. ET.

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Kickoff Webinar Recording Now Available — Solar Decathlon 2023 Design Challenge

September 12, 2022

screenshot from the Solar Decathlon 2023 Design Challenge Kickoff Webinar.

Interested in making an impact on climate change through the Solar Decathlon but not sure where to start? The 2023 Design Challenge is accepting registrations through October 26 at 5 p.m. ET!

Check out the recording of the 30-minute Kickoff Webinar for an overview of this year’s design-only competition, as well as organizer tips.

Many teams use the Design Challenge as an on-ramp to the two-year Build Challenge, where teams construct or renovate permanent homes in their local communities. The next Build Challenge opens for registrations in July 2023.

Register for the 2023 Design Challenge today! Registration is free, several months remain before deliverables are due, and you can change your registration at any time.

For more information, visit the Solar Decathlon website.

 

Join the Solar Decathlon as a Sponsor!

August 24, 2022

Solar Decathlon hosts standing in front of a sponsor poster.

Inspire and support tomorrow’s buildings industry leaders today by becoming a sponsor for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon®!

With the participation of thousands of collegiate students and faculty as part of the zero energy building competition each year, Solar Decathlon offers partner organizations an unparalleled opportunity to create relationships with the innovative building professional s of tomorrow.

  • Align your brand with the U.S. Department of Energy competition that has created cutting-edge buildings and inspired thousands of students worldwide to enter the clean energy workforce.
  • Partners of the Solar Decathlon enjoy benefits such as:
    • Tax deductible donations
    • Exclusive networking and hiring opportunities with top students
    • VIP access to Solar Decathlon events
    • Logo promotion on a national scale, including at 2023 Build Challenge exhibitions
    • Social media highlights
    • And more!

Sponsor Testimonial:

“As a first-time Solar Decathlon sponsor in 2022, we found there were many opportunities for Infineon to participate, and the Solar Decathlon team helped us understand how best to engage, which was good for Infineon and good for the student teams.

Infineon believes that solar power plays a crucial role in our future, and it will be critical to the company reaching its goal to be carbon neutral by 2030.”

Patrick Thompson, Senior Manager, Government Relations, Infineon

Registration is now open for the 2023 Design Challenge, and 2023 Build Challenge teams are breaking ground on their zero energy homes, which will be open for public exhibition in spring 2023. Join us in building the next generation! Reach out to SolarDecathlon@nrel.gov to learn more.

Register for the Solar Decathlon Kickoff Webinar!

August 15, 2022

2022 Design Challenge students presenting at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

Join us for the Solar Decathlon Kickoff Webinar!

Know what it takes to create a winning team for the Solar Decathlon 2023 Design Challenge? Have questions before your collegiate team starts designing a zero energy building?

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Gracelyn Attablayo is #SDLivingTheDream: Studying the evolving complexity of building design

July 18, 2022

Name: Gracelyn Attablayo

Year participated in Solar Decathlon : 2020

University team : Illinois Institute of Technology

Organization/ employer: Socotec Inc.

Role: Building Envelope Inspector

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Build Your Team! Solar Decathlon 2023 Design Challenge Opens Registration

July 13, 2022

Students participating in the 2022 Design Challenge and 2023 Build Challenge pose on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory campus during the Solar Decathlon 2022 Competition Event, April 22–24, 2022.

Students participating in the 2022 Design Challenge and 2023 Build Challenge pose on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory campus during the Solar Decathlon 2022 Competition Event, April 22–24, 2022.

Want to design a zero-energy building while still in school? Register now and form a 2023 Design Challenge team to develop sustainable building expertise and tackle real-world problems through the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® collegiate competition.

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Solar Decathlon Honored with U.S. Green Building Council Leadership Award

July 1, 2022

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U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon Director, Holly Jamesen Carr (center), accepts the 2022 Malcolm Lewis IMPACT! Award from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) on June 9. (Photo courtesy of USGBC)

Last month, the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® was honored with the Malcolm Lewis IMPACT! Award during the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Live conference. The annual USGBC awards recognize organizations that have demonstrated vision and commitment to the advancement of the green building industry; other recipients this year included Marriott International and the District of Columbia.

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Jeremy Blum is #SDLivingTheDream: Igniting an Interest in Carpentry and More

June 13, 2022

Name: Jeremy Blum

Year participated in Solar Decathlon: 2009 Solar Decathlon

University Team: Cornell University Silo House Team

Current Employer: Shaper – https://shapertools.com

Current Role: Senior Vice-President of Engineering and Principal Electrical Engineer

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Solar Decathlon Expands, Bringing Zero Energy Programs to High School Students and Mid-Career Professionals

May 27, 2022

A photo of a group of students listening to an instructor at a Solar Decathlon event.

At the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® 2022 Competition Event, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm announced the launch of two Solar Decathlon workforce development programs to bring the collegiate competition’s sustainable buildings expertise, experience, and mentorship into high school classrooms and architectural studios across the country.

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DOE Celebrates 20th Annual Solar Decathlon for Next-Generation Clean Energy Buildings

April 25, 2022

2022 Design Challenge Grand Winners - Georgia Tech

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the winners of the 20th annual Solar Decathlon®, DOE’s longest-tenured student competition that has challenged 40,000 students across the world to use the latest technologies to design and build the most sustainable buildings possible. Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Arizona won this year’s Design Challenge for residential and commercial building grand prizes, respectively.

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20 Years and Beyond—Solar Decathlon Announces 2023 Design Challenge

April 11, 2022

Students participating in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® 2022 Design Challenge pose during the virtual Semifinal Competition Event in February 2022. Photo courtesy of NREL.

Students participating in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® 2022 Design Challenge pose during the virtual Semifinal Competition Event in February 2022. Photo courtesy of NREL.

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® announced the launch of the 2023 Design Challenge. The 2023 Design Challenge will help usher in the third decade of the Solar Decathlon, which continues to build the future clean energy workforce.

Students from collegiate institutions in the United States and around the world are encouraged to imagine the buildings of the future and apply!

Team registration for the 2023 Design Challenge will open in July 2022 and close in October 2022; the next chance to join the Build Challenge will be in 2023. Mark your calendars and start gathering your team today!

About the Solar Decathlon  

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® is a collegiate competition that prepares the next generation of building professionals to design and build high-performance, low-carbon buildings powered by renewables. The Design Challenge is a one- to two-semester, design-only competition, while the Build Challenge is a two-year design-build competition.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2022, the Solar Decathlon has challenged more than 25,000 students to create efficient, affordable buildings powered by renewables, while promoting student innovation, STEM education, and workforce development opportunities in the buildings industry.

Buildings account for 75% of electricity use, 40% of total energy use, and 35% of carbon emissions in the United States. Solar Decathlon supports a key strategy for tackling climate challenges: developing a workforce that is equipped to design and construct a low-carbon building stock and deliver an equitable clean energy future.

Additional details are available on the Solar Decathlon website.

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