Architecture Contest

(100 Points)

Architecture Contest Scores

For the Architecture Contest of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2017, teams were required to design and build attractive, high-performance houses that integrated solar and energy efficiency technologies seamlessly into the design.

A jury of architects evaluated each team's architectural design based on many criteria, which are condensed in the following list.

• Architectural concept and design approach
• How well did the team utilize an overall clear concept, idea or ideas to guide the development of the whole design process?
• How well does the design solution and competition prototype house demonstrate overall coherence among disciplines and systems of the home?
• How appropriate is the home to its target site? Does it address unique issues and challenges in its design and execution?
• How effectively will the overall architectural design offer a sense of inspiration and delight to Solar Decathlon visitors?

• Architectural implementation and innovation
• How effective was the team in its use of architectural elements including, but not limited to: scale and proportion, indoor/outdoor connections, composition, and linking of various house elements?
• How effectively did the team create a holistic and integrated design, inclusive of space, structure, and building envelope?
• How well does the team integrate both natural and electric lighting into the competition prototype?
• How well does the competition prototype demonstrate quality design through material selection, well-conceived details, and architectural implementation?
• How well did the team integrate energy-efficiency concerns, energy production technology, and performance considerations into the architectural design?
• To what degree did the team integrate transportation and pre-fabrication strategies and detailing into the competition prototype?

• Documentation
• How effectively did the reviewed deliverables enable the jury to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the design prior to its arrival at the competition site?
• How effectively does the team use digital technology, such as photography or graphics, to represent their competition prototype remotely?
• How accurate, complete, and clear are the competition drawings and specifications?

For complete information, see the Solar Decathlon 2017 rules. Solar Decathlon teams should always refer to the rules.