Consistently appearing in first place in overall standings throughout the competition, the University of Maryland won the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced the competition results today before an excited audience that packed the main tent in the solar village.

With exemplary communications materials, public tours, and website, Middlebury College received first place in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon Communications Contest today.

It may seem like all work all the time for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon’s student decathletes, but one contest brings teams together to earn points while relaxing and interacting with one another.

Samuel Mikhail, team leader of Team New York (City College of New York), celebrates the diversity of his team during the All-Team Meeting. (Credit: Carol Anna/U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon)

Filled with energy and excitement, the student teams gathered the All-Team Meeting tonight to kick off the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011. The teams—representing 13 U.S. states, five countries, and four continents—received an enthusiastic send-off from Solar Decathlon organizers and sponsors in preparation for the assembly phase of the competition, which begins later tonight.

Over a buffet dinner, Melissa Segil of Middlebury College explained how the Solar Decathlon has had a powerful impact on her education.

Editor’s Note: This entry has been cross-posted from DOE’s Energy Blog.

In honor of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon—which challenges 20 collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive—we are profiling each of the 20 teams participating in the competition.