Solar Decathlon 2005

Daily Journal

During the Solar Decathlon competition, daily updates will be posted from the event ranging from the students' strategies to which solar houses are producing the most energy to recaps of the onsite special events. Also, don't miss the Photos of the Day, which help bring the event to life.

Sunday October 16, 2005

Goodbye and thank you. The village was incredibly crowded on the last day! What a fitting testimonial to the success of the Solar Decathlon. Read more.

Saturday October 15, 2005

Decathletes awoke this morning to a cloudless sky, allowing the first rays of sunshine we have seen in more than a week to dapple solar panels and brighten facades along Decathlete Way. Read more.

Friday October 14, 2005

The Finish! After a close competition, the University of Colorado successfully defended their championship. They were the quickest team to adjust to the changing weather and develop a strategy that amassed the most points. Read more.

Thursday October 13, 2005

Afternoon Update

They say that to do something great in life it has to have significance. This event is turning students into leaders, and disbelievers into believers. Read more.

Morning Update

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday Virginia Tech was comfortably in the lead, by 30 points. By this morning they had fallen to fourth place. Read more.

Wednesday October 12, 2005

The Lighting contest is not yet final, but Lighting Contest jurors awarded points today for the daylighting and electrical lighting segments of that contest. Read more.

Tuesday October 11, 2005

If research and development (R&D) is conducted solely in a laboratory, no one benefits. Technologies must be transferred to the marketplace in order to be beneficial. Read more.

Monday October 10, 2005

This was the biggest day yet at the Decathlon. The breaking news today was the announcement of winners in the Dwelling and Architecture contests. Read more.

Sunday October 9, 2005

Awesome! Spectacular! Impressive! Well done! These are just a few of the comments from the Architecture and Dwelling juries as the toured the houses the past two days. Read more.

Saturday Oct. 8, 2005

As I looked down Decathlete Way this morning it was filled with umbrellas as hundreds of people worked their way from house to house in the pouring rain. Read more.

Friday, October 7, 2005

Rain, rain, and more rain. You need sunlight to power these houses, but each house has batteries to store electricity. So, even if it rains for two days, the houses will still be able to provide their energy needs. Read more.

October 6, 2005 — Opening Ceremony

Today was a great day. We held our Opening Ceremonies and the Solar Decathlon is officially open. Let the competition begin! U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman thanked the decathletes for working so hard. Read more.

October 5, 2005

The village is much more energized than usual today with the students working at a frenzied pace to prepare for the VIP tours scheduled for 5 p.m. Our solar village needs to be "camera ready" by then! Last minute details are being attended to that will make their house a vision of beauty. Read more.

October 4, 2005

This is it. The last day to complete major construction. Yet another milestone on this long, but tremendously rewarding adventure. Although the Solar Decathlon opens in two days, teams need to have their houses ready for safety and code inspections by 10 a.m. tomorrow. Read more.

October 3, 2005

As you probably know, the objective of the Solar Decathlon is to design and build an attractive house that provides its own power and is totally self-sufficient. The houses are judged for design aesthetics and appeal, but they must also be fully functional. The competition requires that the students "live" in their houses for a week, taxing them hard. Read more.

October 2, 2005

The sun rose over the Capitol building on this fine Sunday morning to awake the sleepy solar village. After pausing to reflect on the peaceful moment it occurred to me that the sun not only brings a new day but the power of life. Read more.

October 1, 2005

Quieter this morning as many of the decathletes were sleeping in after working almost non-stop for two days. Once the houses have a roof teams can relax a little in case it rains, but no worry there — the weather report is perfect. Read more.

September 30, 2005

It's only day two of the 2005 Solar Decathlon, and each day is already full of surprises! Read more.

September 29, 2005

The 2005 Solar Decathlon is finally here! Teams are arriving in Washington, D.C., with great anticipation for the start of the 2005 Solar Decathlon. Read more.