Solar Decathlon 2007

Daily Journal - October 23, 2007

Thanks, and See You in '09!

The National Mall is back to normal—or as normal as it ever gets. But the world will never be the same, because the 2007 Solar Decathlon existed here for nine days in October. Students and professors, members of industry, and the public world-wide are changed in large and small ways by the demonstration here that energy efficiency and solar energy technologies work in homes. Again, we congratulate and thank everyone involved in making the 2007 event a great success.

While this event has ended, the good news is that the 2009 Solar Decathlon has already begun! The U.S. Department of Energy issued a Request for Proposals on October 12, 2007, for those wishing to enter the next Decathlon. Proposals are due from aspiring Decathletes by December 7, 2007, and announcements of successful bids will be made in early 2008—just in time for spring semester architecture and engineering classes at the selected schools to start planning.

We look forward to another exciting race to the finish. See you all in Washington, D.C., in 2009!