Solar Decathlon 2011
Building Industry Day Workshop Summaries
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 Building Industry Day workshop presentations are provided below.
Building a More Sustainable Future: A Look at Industry Trends in Building Design
This workshop explored strategic decisions being made in sustainable building today and the direction the industry is headed in the future.
Building Technology: An Update on Commercial and Residential Building Design Standards
This session covered the new Standard 189.1 for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings—the first code-intended commercial green building standard in the United States. It is published in conjunction with the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America and the U.S. Green Building Council. Standard 189.1 provides a green building foundation for those who strive to design, build, and operate green buildings.
Building the Solar Heating and Cooling Industry
In this workshop, industry and federal and state government panelists presented what is needed to build and grow the United States' solar heating and cooling industry. Panelists discussed current policies, goals, and research and development currently in place to encourage market transformation. This workshop provided insight into past experiences in the solar heating and cooling industry and impressions on current markets and expectations for growth.
Developing a Robust Workforce: Tools and Resources To Enhance Training in the Residential Energy Retrofit Industry
The Department of Energy's Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program is developing tools and resources to enhance the training and work quality standards used throughout the home energy retrofit industry. This session covered the program's work and explained how you can be a part of efforts to improve training and work quality.
It All Comes Down to People: The Key to Sustaining Energy-Efficient Behaviors
Energy efficiency is the fastest, cheapest, and cleanest way to tackle our energy dilemma. However, the workforce must be able to apply this knowledge and educate consumers to change their behavior. This session provided an understanding of why education is a fundamental component of intelligent energy management and sustained savings and why it is important to actively manage energy consumption.
Solar at Night: Technology Behind Solar LED
This workshop provided an introduction to solar LED (light-emitting diode) lighting technology and addressed current and potential applications in construction and architecture.
