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Title
Build Challenge
Subtitle
2007
Location
Washington, D.C.
Date Start
October 12
Date End
 - 20, 2007

Daily Journal - August 10, 2007

Click photo to view a larger image.

Illustration of the Madrid concept house. The house is rectangular and placed at an angle on the base, creating a triangular deck outside the house, with several glass doors leading from the deck into the house. A large array of solar panels creates the roof.

North view of concept drawing of Madrid's Solar Decathlon house.

Illustration showing the top view of the Madrid house. Looking down on the house, the deck wraps around so it is on three sides. On the back of the house is a wall covered with grass.

South view of concept drawing of Madrid's Solar Decathlon house.

Photo of the Solar Decathlon team from Madrid.

2007 Madrid Team

Photo of Richard King and Sergio Vega, wearing hardhats and standing in front of the frame of the Madrid Solar Decathlon house.

Richard King with Sergio Vega, Project Manager for the University of Madrid Solar Decathlon Team.

Photo of the Madrid team constructing the frame of their Solar Decathlon house.

The University of Madrid's construction site showing the first sections of framing being assembled. The site is in the parking lot of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

Solar Decathlon 2007

Field Trip to the Madrid Team

I had a wonderful visit today out at the University of Madrid's Solar Decathlon construction site. No, I did not have to fly overseas; they are here in the States, pre-assembling their house in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, outside Washington, DC.

This is the second Solar Decathlon for the Madrid team and they want to get an early jump on the American competition. By building the house close to Washington and checking all systems to get everything in tip-top shape for the start of the competition on October 12th, they hope to perform better than they did in 2005.

In 2005, their house arrived by ship from Spain, slightly late and slightly damaged. With little time to assemble and fix their house on the National Mall, their performance suffered and Madrid finished in ninth place. This year, I'm sure the Madrid team will do better. In fact, I expect this powerhouse from Spain to be in the top five, giving the rest of the teams a real contest! Their design is exquisite, and this time everything should work.

For more information about the Madrid team, visit the Teams page on the Solar Decathlon Web site, where you'll find a link to Madrid's team Web site.