Summary: After nine days’ hard work building their houses, testing systems, and landscaping yards, 20 teams of university students from across the nation and around the world began competing on the Capital Mall in the 2007 Solar Decathlon October 12. The competition ends October 20.

Now a biennial event run by the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewal Energy Laboratory, and cosponsored by the AIA, the competition requires cross-discipline teams to publicize their efforts and raise money (DOE provides $100,000 seed money to each team) to design, build, test, transport to Washington, and rebuild homes of up to 800 square feet. The decathlon events simulate living comfortably while running household chores, a home office, and getting around town in an electric car—all powered by the sun.

And if you’re wondering what would happen if it were overcast and rainy all week, that’s exactly what happened in 2005, and the front-running teams still were able to generate surplus electricity and heat their water.

The 10 events are:
• Architecture—200 points
• Engineering—150 points
• Market Viability—150 points
• Communications—100 points
• Comfort Zone—100 points
• Appliances—100 points
• Hot Water—100 points
• Lighting—100 points
• Energy Balance—100 points
• Getting Around—100 points

AIArchitect will be covering the event as it unfolds. We will report back next week.