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

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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

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!

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.

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!