The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013 won first place in the special events category in the National Association of Government Communicators (NAGC) Blue Pencil and Gold Screen Awards Competition. The award was announced last week during a reception and banquet at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

The Norwich University Solar Decathlon 2013 team received the Byron Stafford Award of Distinction at the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013 Victory Reception on Oct. 12.Presented by Solar Decathlon Director Richard King’s wife, Melissa, the award is a tribute to Byron Stafford, who served as the event’s site operations manager from the first Solar Decathlon in 2002 until his death in May. A National Renewable Energy Laboratory senior scientist, Stafford was instrumental in formulating the competition rules and was dedicated to ensuring a safe competition and public exhibit. In 2009, his team installed the first Solar Decathlon village microgrid to distribute energy safely and reliably among the competition houses and to the utility grid.

The people have spoken. Today, UrbanEden, the solar-powered house from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, won the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013 People’s Choice Award.

Team Austria from the Vienna University of Technology has won the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013.

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon competition wrapped up this morning with announcements of overall winners—but the public event continues through Sunday evening.

As the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013 approaches the finish line, the standings are tight—in fact, the closest ever, which is a reflection of the quality of the competition houses. At each Solar Decathlon, we say that everyone is a winner, but this year it’s more true than ever. All the houses are impressive. As a result, the juries have issued more ties in their evaluations than ever before.

Czech Technical University took first place in the highly competitive Architecture Contest and Vienna University of Technology received top honors in the Communications Contest this morning at the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013.

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013 received a jolt of energy today when busloads of students from local southern California middle and high schools visited the Solar Decathlon village for tours of solar-powered competition houses as part of the Solar Decathlon School Days program.

At an awards ceremony this morning, winners of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013 Affordability and Market Appeal contests took center stage by demonstrating that innovative, energy-efficient houses can be cost-effective and appealing to a variety of target markets.

Upgrading your lighting is one of the most practical ways to increase your home’s energy efficiency.