The 2007 Solar Decathlon Showcases the Future and Present of Green BuildingIt Takes a Village

For a week and a half in mid-October, the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was transformed into a solar village, as colleges from around the country and around the world competed in the third Solar Decathlon. This biennial competition challenges 20 student teams to design, build, and operate houses that are completely powered by the sun.

A team from Germany took the top prize, but all 20 living laboratories showcased existing and new technologies in energy generation, energy conservation, resource efficiency, and a number of other green attributes, all in a structure that can be easily imagined as a real home, albeit within the confines of the contest's 800-square-foot limit.

In addition to challenging students to learn and innovate, the Solar Decathlon was an educational opportunity for the consumers who toured the houses during the week. This year's event saw a record 120,000-plus visitors, reports Richard King, director of the Solar Decathlon for the Department of Energy (DOE), which sponsors the event.

"People are being told they should go green, but one of the benefits of the Solar Decathlon is it shows them how," King says. "You can not only learn how to produce all the energy you need from the sun, but you can learn how to save energy inside your house." It's hard to grasp on TV, he explains, "but when they walk in a house and see it … they get a better feel for just what it is."

The teams—17 from the United States and Puerto Rico plus a team each from Canada, Germany, and Spain—began working on design and construction two years ago; the completed projects were transported to D.C. and then reassembled in the days preceding the event.