2 Solar Decathlon 2007

Photo Credits 

Vertical column, top: The Cal Poly 2005 Solar Decathlon house frames a view 

of the U.S. Capitol. Bottom: The University of Colorado team, champion of the 

2005 Solar Decathlon, celebrates with a victory lap in their electric vehicle. 

The remaining photos show 2007 Solar Decathlon teams planning and 

constructing their houses: New York Institute of Technology, University 

of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Cincinnati, and Penn State 

(note the OSHA-approved, cowboy-style hard hats). 
Solar Decathlon 2007 3

With excitement running high, Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman cuts the ribbon to open the 2005 Solar 

Decathlon. Looking on are sponsor representatives and students and faculty from the competing teams. 

Credit: Stefano Paltera

Message from the

Secretary of Energy

Welcome to Washington, D.C., home of the nation’s capital and the 

U.S. Department of Energy’s third Solar Decathlon, a unique competition 

in which 20 college- and university-led teams from around the world 

work to design, finance, construct, and operate the most energy-efficient, 

solar-powered homes imaginable. These students have created living 

laboratories, where concept truly meets reality. And now their work will 

be put to the test. 

Teams will be evaluated in 10 areas encompassing architecture, 

engineering, livability, comfort, space heating and cooling, water heating, 

and powering lights and appliances — representing the next generation 

of solar-powered homes and the promise of solar technology.

I want to congratulate all of the teams who are competing this year. With 

events such as the Solar Decathlon, not only are students working toward 

the goals outlined in President Bush’s Solar America Initiative — which 

seeks to make solar energy cost competitive with conventional forms of 

electricity by 2015 — but they are also helping to make today’s solar 

technology part of tomorrow’s energy reality. Events such as this also 

bring to life the President’s American Competitiveness Initiative, which 

aims to invest in our next generation of scientists, engineers, and 

educators to keep America at the forefront of science and innovation. 

Witnessing the work of this generation’s best and brightest, you recognize 

that America’s entrepreneurial spirit and passion for scientific discovery 

remain strong. 

Whether you are here as a competitor, team supporter, or visitor, 

I hope you take the time to fully examine the breadth of cutting-edge 

technologies used in the solar village, some of which are available for use 

in your home today. Through projects such as the Solar Decathlon, we are 

developing clean technologies that can fundamentally change the way we 

power our homes and businesses. 

Again, welcome, and enjoy the Solar Decathlon.

Samuel W. Bodman

U.S. Secretary of Energy

Competition Program

Contents

Message from the Secretary of Energy..........................................................3

Welcome to the Solar Decathlon ...................................................................4

Things to See and Do.....................................................................................5

A Look at the Competition ............................................................................6

Who’s Who at the Solar Decathlon ................................................................8

About the Technologies.................................................................................9

Teams (ordered by house number):

Santa Clara University (101)........................................................................10

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (102).....................................................11

Universidad de Puerto Rico (103) .................................................................12

Texas A&M University (104) ........................................................................13

University of Texas at Austin (105) ..............................................................14

University of Cincinnati (106)......................................................................15

University of Maryland (107) ......................................................................16

Cornell University (108)...............................................................................17

University of Missouri-Rolla (109)...............................................................18

Kansas Project Solar House (110)................................................................19

 (Kansas State University and University of Kansas)

University of Colorado at Boulder (111) ......................................................20

Technische Universität Darmstadt (112)......................................................21

Georgia Institute of Technology (113) .........................................................22

Carnegie Mellon University (114)................................................................23

Penn State (115) .........................................................................................24

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (116)...............................................25

Team Montréal (117)...................................................................................26

 (École de Technologie Supériore, Université de Montréal, McGill University)

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (118) .......................................27

Lawrence Technological University (119) ....................................................28

New York Institute of Technology (120).......................................................29

Sponsors .....................................................................................................30
4 Solar Decathlon 2007

119 120

117 118

115 116

113 114

111 112

109 110

107 108

105 106

103 104

101 102

Exhibits

10th Street

12th Street

110

118

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Texas A&M University

University of Cincinnati

Cornell University

Kansas Project Solar House 

(Kansas State University and 

University of Kansas)

Technische Universität Darmstadt

Carnegie Mellon University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

New York Institute of Technology

Santa Clara University

Universidad de Puerto Rico

University of Texas at Austin

University of Maryland

University of Missouri-Rolla

University of Colorado at Boulder

Georgia Institute of Technology

Penn State

Team Montréal 

(École de Technologie Supériore,

Université de Montréal, McGill University)

Lawrence Technological University

The National Mall in our 

nation’s capital is the site of 

the 2007 Solar Decathlon.

Welcome to the Solar Decathlon

As you visit the Solar Decathlon, don’t hold back on the oohs and aahs. 

Pointing and gesturing are okay, too. We think you’ll be impressed and 

inspired as you tour the houses in the “solar village” and meet the 

student competitors on the National Mall. 

The solar village comes to life for only a short time, which is October 12 

through 20, 2007. But what an amazing village it is, complete with 

elegant, comfortable homes that operate solely on power from the sun. 

These houses may seem futuristic, but they are based on materials and 

technologies that are available today. These houses were conceived, 

designed, engineered, and built primarily by students. Twenty teams 

of students from colleges and universities from the United States, 

including Puerto Rico; Canada; Germany; and Spain have come to 

compete. They have spent the past two years learning about the latest 

solar energy and energy efficiency technologies — and applying that 

knowledge to designing and building their own high-style, highperformance houses.

The teams built the houses on their home campuses and have 

transported them to the National Mall. Ten contests challenge their 

abilities to produce electricity and hot water from solar panels to 

perform all the functions of home — from turning on the lights to 

cooking, washing clothes and dishes, powering home 

electronics, and maintaining a comfortable 

temperature. The architectural style and 

livability of the homes 

are paramount.

Like Olympic decathletes, the “Solar Decathletes” draw on all 

of their strengths. Future engineers work with future architects 

to create energy-efficient homes that are also beautiful. They 

strive to innovate, using high-tech materials and design 

elements in ingenious ways. 

Step into the Future 

Visitors are important to the life of any village, but particularly 

so to the solar village. Sharing their hard-earned knowledge 

with the public is a key reason the students are here. They are 

passionate about their role in creating a new-energy future — 

a future that looks to be both environmentally sensible and 

economically secure. 

So tour the houses and meet the students. Keep in mind that the 

Solar Decathlon is an intriguing competition. Formulating and 

executing a sound strategy is critically important. During house 

tours, you may want to ask the students about their overall 

strategy or strategy for a specific aspect of the competition that 

you find particularly interesting. 

The team from the University of Colorado, the overall winner 

of both previous Solar Decathlons in 2002 and 2005, is back. 

Can Colorado win again, or will another team step up to 

the challenge and claim the trophy? Whatever happens, 

the competition is bound to be 

intense and compelling.
Solar Decathlon 2007 5

Things to See and Do

Attend the Ceremonies

The Solar Decathlon Opening Ceremony is at 10:00 a.m., 

Friday, October 12. The Awards Ceremony is at 2:00 p.m., 

Friday, October 19, at which time the overall winner of the 

Solar Decathlon is announced. We encourage you to join in the 

excitement and cheer for your favorite team!

Tour the Team Houses

October 12–16 and October 18–20, 2007

11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., Weekdays; 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Weekends

The Solar Decathlon teams are here to compete. They’re also here 

to share with you what they have learned. Team houses are living 

demonstrations of the latest in energy efficiency and renewable 

energy designs and products, and the best in home design.

On October 17, all houses are closed for competition purposes, 

but workshops are offered, and educational exhibits are open. 

Please note that during some public tour hours, some of the team 

houses are closed for competition purposes.

Visit the Educational Exhibits

October 12–20, 2007

11:00 a.m.– 3:00 p.m., Weekdays; 10:00 a.m.– 5:00 p.m., Weekends

Anatomy of a House

Located between the University of Missouri-Rolla (109) and 

University of Colorado (111) houses, this exhibit provides tips on 

saving energy for homeowners and includes several interactive 

features. The exhibit includes demonstrations of several building 

technologies used in the competition houses, as well as a depiction 

of a grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system showing how a 

PV system would be set up for an average home. Unlike typical 

PV-powered houses, none of the Solar Decathlon houses are 

connected to the utility grid. 

Powered by Renewables

The entire Solar Decathlon is powered by renewable energy during 

the event — this includes the team houses and all of the tents and 

trailers you see. Visit the exhibit (which is located in two places, 

near the two information tents) to see the PV systems and biodiesel 

generator powering the village.

Attend a Workshop

A variety of workshops will be held throughout the competition. So whatever your interest and expertise level, there is likely to be 

a session that suits your needs. And, as is true of the entire event, all workshops are free

For Consumers

October 13–17 and 20, 2007

Ask the Experts 

Weekends only: 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. and 3:30–5:30 p.m.

A group of green-building experts, coordinated by sponsor 

Blue Egg, will be on hand to answer questions.

Saturday, October 13

10:00 a.m. DOE, Energy Efficiency for the Homeowner

11:30 a.m. DOE, Solar for the Homeowner

1:00 p.m. AIA, AIA COTE Top Ten: A Focus on Top-Notch Design

2:30 p.m. DOE, Energy Efficiency for the Homeowner

4:00 p.m. DOE, Solar for the Homeowner 

Sunday, October 14

10:00 a.m. DOE, Energy Efficiency for the Homeowner 

11:30 a.m. DOE, Solar for the Homeowner

1:00 p.m. PATH, Renovating Green and a 5-Year Green Plan

2:30 p.m. DOE, Energy Efficiency for the Homeowner

4:00 p.m. DOE, Solar for the Homeowner 

Monday, October 15 

10:00 a.m. PATH, Renovating Green and a 5-Year Green Plan

11:30 a.m. DOE, Energy Efficiency for the Homeowner

1:00 p.m. DOE, Solar for the Homeowner

2:30 p.m. HON, Empowering You: Environmental Solutions for 

 Office Interiors

Tuesday, October 16

10:00 a.m. HON, Empowering You: Environmental Solutions for 

 Office Interiors

11:30 a.m. DOE, Energy Efficiency for the Homeowner

1:00 p.m. DOE, Solar for the Homeowner

2:30 p.m. Sprint, Solar Energy

Wednesday, October 17

10:00 a.m. DOE, Solar Best Practices for Homeowners

11:30 a.m. ASHRAE, Solar Applications for the Homeowner

1:00 p.m. Texas Instruments, Solar Dodecahedron — Scaling 

 up the Solar Decathlon

2:30 p.m. Sprint, Solar Energy

Saturday, October 20

10:00 a.m. DOE, Energy Efficiency for the Homeowner 

11:30 a.m. DOE, Solar for the Homeowner

1:00 p.m. PATH, Renovating Green and a 5-Year Green Plan

2:30 p.m. DOE, Energy Efficiency for the Homeowner

4:00 p.m. DOE, Solar for the Homeowner

Building Industry Day 

A special day devoted to building industry professionals.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Ask the Experts: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

A group of green-building experts, coordinated by sponsor 

Blue Egg, will be on hand to answer questions.

9:00 a.m. ASHRAE, Solar Applications for Homes

10:00 a.m. Xantrex, Enabling Solar Energy

11:00 a.m. Honeywell, Creating Differentiation in a Cooled 

 Housing Market

12:00 p.m. NAHB, Introduction to the National Green Building 

 Program

1:00 p.m. DOE, Zero Energy Homes

2:00 p.m. USGBC, LEED for Homes Program

3:00 p.m. DOE, Solar Hot Water System Performance

4:00 p.m. BP, Solar for Builders

5:00 p.m. PATH, Presolarizing: What to Do Before You Innovate
6 Solar Decathlon 2007

Just like the well-known Olympic decathlon, the 

Solar Decathlon consists of 10 contests. But the Solar 

Decathlon centers on all of the ways in which we use 

energy in our daily lives — at work, at home, and at play. 

To compete, the teams must design and build energyefficient homes that are powered exclusively by the 

sun. The homes must be attractive and easy to live in. 

They must maintain a comfortable temperature, provide 

attractive and adequate lighting, power household 

appliances for cooking and cleaning, power home 

electronics, and provide hot water. These houses must 

also power an electric vehicle to meet essential 

transportation needs. 

The competition is an exciting time for competitors 

and spectators alike, but it is not without challenges 

and conflicts. For example, the public wants to tour 

the homes, but the juries need unfettered access to the 

homes to judge each entry fairly and to discuss its 

merits privately. This means that some of the homes 

must be closed to visitors during the public tour hours 

when the various juries are making their rounds. Rest 

assured that most homes will be open at these times, 

and Solar Decathlon staff and volunteers can direct you 

to them. Please note that there are no public tours at 

all on Wednesday, October 17, when all of the houses 

must be closed for 24-hour temperature and humidity 

monitoring.

Scoring

Contests are scored in three ways: 

1. By measuring performance (such as meeting temperature and 

humidity requirements)

2. By completion of contest-related tasks (such as washing laundry 

or dishes)

3. By the evaluation of juries made up of experts in architecture, 

engineering, and other appropriate fields. 

Some contests are scored subjectively by only the evaluations of the 

juries, some are scored objectively by only performance and task 

completion, and some are scored by a combination of these methods.

The Ten Contests

Architecture

Teams are required to design and build attractive, high-performance 

houses that integrate solar and energy efficiency technologies 

seamlessly into the design. Architecture is crucial; teams can earn 

up to 200 points, more points than any other contest. A jury of 

architects tours the houses to judge this contest.

Engineering

The Solar Decathlon houses are marvels of modern engineering, and 

this contest “checks under the hood.” A jury of engineers evaluates 

each house’s building envelope, indoor environmental control, and 

mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. A jury of energy 

analysts assesses the teams’ use of simulation tools to inform design 

decisions and predict annual energy performance. 

A Look at the Competition

Contests

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)

 Friday, October 12 Saturday, October 13 Sunday, October 14 Monday, October 15 

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

By the time the teams arrive on the National Mall, some contest activities have already been completed, but the 

majority of them occur while the village is open. To accommodate contest activities such as judging and taking 

measurements, some of the houses will be closed some of the time during public hours.

10:00 a.m. 

Competition Schedule

Public Tour Hours

Architecture Jury tours team houses

Market Appeal Jury tours team houses

Lighting Jury tours team hou

measurements 

Teams drive for mileage cre

Communications Jury tours team houses 

Temperature and humidity m

Shower tests

Measurements of energy int

Refrigerator and freezer tem

clothes washing and drying t

Opening 

Ceremony

at 10:00 a.m.
Solar Decathlon 2007 7

Market Viability

This contest evaluates whether the house has market appeal and 

is well suited for everyday living — and if it could be built easily 

and accommodate a variety of potential homeowners. A key goal 

of the Solar Decathlon is to help reduce the cost of buildingintegrated PV systems. Teams build their houses for a target 

market of their choosing and are asked to demonstrate the 

potential of their houses to keep costs affordable within that 

market.

Communications

Each team must produce its own Web site and provide house 

tours to visitors on the National Mall. Points are based on the 

success of the team in delivering clear and consistent messages 

and images that represent the team’s vision and results.

Comfort Zone

Teams are scored on their ability to provide interior comfort in 

their houses by controlling temperature and humidity. Full points 

are awarded for maintaining narrow temperature and relative 

humidity ranges inside their houses.

Appliances

The Appliances contest is designed to replicate appliance energy 

use in the average U.S. home. Points are earned for maintaining 

a certain temperature in refrigerators and freezers, washing and 

drying towels, cooking meals and hosting a dinner party for their 

neighbors, using a dishwasher, and operating a television/video 

player and a computer during the day.

Hot Water

This contest demonstrates that solar hot water systems can supply 

all the hot water that households use daily for bathing, laundry, 

and dishwashing. Teams score points by successfully completing 

“shower tests” over 5 days of the competition. They aim to 

deliver 15 gallons of hot water in 10 minutes or less.

Lighting

Points are awarded based on the elegance, quality, and energy 

efficiency of the lighting design during day and night. A jury 

of lighting design professionals evaluates the teams’ lighting 

designs, which are required to integrate both electric and natural 

light, from both a functional and an aesthetic standpoint. Points 

for maintaining predetermined lighting levels are also factored 

into the scoring.

Energy Balance

This contest measures and compares the amount of energy going 

into the batteries from the solar electric system and the amount 

of electricity being drawn from the batteries to meet the needs of 

a home. The goal is to finish the competition having produced as 

much (or more) electrical energy as the house and car required.

Getting Around

Teams use the “extra” energy generated by their solar electric 

systems to “fuel” their street-legal, commercially available 

electric vehicles. Points are awarded based on how many miles 

each team is able to drive.

Tuesday, October 16 Wednesday, October 17 Thursday, October 18 Friday, October 19 Saturday, October 20

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed to Public 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Competition Schedule

10:00 a.m. 

Homes Closed

to Public

All Day

Engineering Jury tours

team houses

uses; lighting-level 

Lighting-level measurements 

continue 

dit 

measurements 

to and out of battery system

perature measurements, computer and TV/video monitor operation, cooking, dishwashing, 

tasks

10:00 a.m. 

10:00 a.m. 

2:00 p.m. 

Awards for subjective contests announced

Awards 

Ceremony

at 2:00 p.m. 

Overall

Winner

Announced

Solar

Village

is Open
8 Solar Decathlon 2007

Who’s Who at the Solar Decathlon

At the top of the Solar Decathlon “Who’s Who” list are the students, whose talent, energy, and commitment are second to none. 

In the following pages, you will hear from the students in their own words. On this page, we would like to recognize the 2007 

Solar Decathlon jurors and organizers.

Architecture

Gregory Kiss

Kiss + Cathcart, Architects

Susan Maxman

SMP Architects

Grant Simpson

RTKL Associates, Inc.

Alternate juror:

Ken Wilson 

Envision Design

Engineering

Kent Peterson

P2S Engineering, Inc.

Bill Rittleman

IBACOS

Miles C. Russell

GreenRay, Inc.

The Architecture jurors compare notes on the merits 

of the New York Institute of Technology entry in the 2005 

Solar Decathlon. Credit: Stefano Paltera, NREL/PIX 14604

Energy Analysis

Brent Griffith

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Sue Reilly

Enermodal Engineering, Inc.

Norm Weaver

Fort Collins Utilities

Market Appeal

Bob Burt

Burt Construction Services

Jim Ketter

Tierra Group

Doug Lowe

Artisan Construction, Inc.

Joyce Mason

Pardee Homes

Economic Analysis

Stuart Bernstein

University of Nebraska, Lincoln at Omaha

David Kline

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Miles C. Russell

GreenRay, Inc.

Web Sites and House Tours

Jaime Van Mourik

GreenShape LLC

Scott Shepherd

D&R International

Alan Wickstrom

BuildingOnline, Inc.

Lighting

Nancy Clanton

Clanton & Associates, Inc.

Naomi Miller

Naomi Miller Lighting Design

Sandra Stashik

Grenald Waldron Associates

Jurors

We value the contribution of our distinguished jurors, all of whom are leaders in their fields. For biographical and contact information 

on these individuals, please refer to the Solar Decathlon Web site (www.solardecathlon.org).

Organizers

Director

Richard King, U.S. Department of Energy

Project Manager

Cécile Warner, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Rules and Regulations Committee

Michael Wassmer, Chair

Mary Anne Dunlap, Sara Farrar-Nagy, Pamela Gray-Hann, Sheila Hayter, Sally Higgins, 

Wendy Larsen, Ruby Nahan, Robi Robichaud, and Byron Stafford, National Renewable 

Energy Laboratory

Jim Conway and Tom Meyers, Colorado Code Consulting

Dan Eberle, Crowder College

John Wiles, Southwest Technology Development Institute

Communications and Public Affairs 

Drew Bittner, Kevin Brosnahan, Wendy Butler Burt, Henry Gentenaar, Anna MartinezBarnish, and Christopher Powers, U.S. Department of Energy

John Horst, U.S. Department of Energy/Navarro

Allison Casey, Sue Donaldson, Shauna Fjeld, David Hicks, Susan Moon, Susan Sczepanski, 

and Jim Snyder, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Solar Decathlon 2007 9

Some of the concepts and technologies used in the Solar Decathlon 

houses are tried and true, while others have seldom — or never — 

been tried. Learn more about these old and new ideas below. 

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) — These energy-efficient 

lamps use less electricity to provide lighting levels comparable to 

conventional (incandescent) lamps. Reduced electricity consumption 

(less wasted heat) also means that cooling loads are decreased during 

the summer months, thus reducing the electricity consumed by air 

conditioners. CFLs work in standard incandescent fixtures.

Electrochromic Windows — This type of window can be 

darkened or lightened electronically. A small voltage applied to an 

electrochromic window will cause it to darken; reversing the voltage 

causes it to lighten. This capability enables the automatic control 

of the amount of light and heat that passes through the windows, 

which allows them to be used as energy-saving devices. For 

example, darkening the windows in summer reduces solar heat 

gain and still allows visible light to pass through. In wintertime, 

the windows can be left clear to let in the sunshine that brightens 

and warms the house.

Insulation — An excellent place to start making a home more 

energy efficient is with good insulation, keeping out unwanted 

heat and cold. R-value is a standard rating for heat transfer 

resistance. The higher the value, the better the insulation. U-value 

is the opposite, a measure of heat transfer, so the lower values are 

better. U-values are generally used for rating windows.

Low-Emissivity Windows — Low-emissivity (low-e) coatings 

for windows, invented and commercialized in the 1980s, have 

revolutionized window technology. Thin, transparent coatings of 

silver or tin oxide permit visible light to pass through, but also reflect 

infrared heat radiation back into 

the room. This reduces heat loss 

through the windows in winter. 

Low-e windows are available 

for different climate zones and 

a variety of applications.

Passive Solar Energy and 

Daylighting — Considerable 

amounts of solar energy can 

be captured for desired heating 

(while avoiding unwanted 

heating) without active 

mechanical systems, simply by 

properly siting and designing 

a home. South-facing windows, 

for example, can let in a lot of 

heat from winter sun, while large 

overhangs keep out that solar heat 

in the summer. Similarly, proper 

window and skylight placement 

can provide appropriate light for 

home activities, reducing the 

amount of electric lighting that 

is needed. All of the Decathlon 

homes incorporate these design 

principles to some extent. 

Phase-Change Materials — It takes energy to change a solid to 

a liquid or a liquid to a gas (for example, melting ice or boiling 

water). Conversely, there is energy embodied in the liquid or gas 

that can be released as heat energy when it liquefies or solidifies. 

Certain materials with high 

melting points can store heat 

(or cold) effectively. In the 

case of water and space 

heating in some Decathlon 

homes, excess hot water or 

exhaust air is routed through 

the phase-change material, 

cooling the water or air and 

melting the material. When 

heat is needed, cool water 

or intake air is run through 

the phase-change material, 

absorbing heat from the 

solidifying material. 

Photovoltaics (PV) or Solar 

Electricity — PV systems 

are semiconductor devices 

that generate electricity 

by absorbing light energy, 

triggering electrical current 

flow from an electron-rich 

material to an electrondeficient one. With buildingintegrated photovoltaics 

(BIPV), traditional building components are replaced with PV 

materials. BIPV materials are used for vertical facades, roofing 

systems, and shading structures such as awnings. 

The cost of such a system is offset by the cost of 

traditional materials that would have been used 

to finish the building.

Solar Thermal Collectors — Solar thermal 

collectors use solar energy to heat water or a 

transfer fluid such as antifreeze flowing through 

a “collector” designed to capture sunlight. The 

heated water is then usually stored for use as 

domestic hot water, but several Decathlon homes 

also use it for space heating. A couple of the 

houses are even using the collectors to “fire” 

absorption chillers for space cooling. Most of the 

Decathlon homes use better-insulated (but higher 

cost) evacuated-tube collectors for higher 

efficiency. 

Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) — These 

are prefabricated panels typically made of foam 

insulation sandwiched between sheets of oriented 

strand board or other building material. SIPs, 

which are used in many Solar Decathlon houses, 

offer superior insulation (typically R-4 per inch) 

and ease of construction.

About the Technologies

An expansive window follows the roofline of the University of Michigan’s 2005 

Solar Decathlon house and allows natural daylighting into the work and living 

spaces. Credit: Chris Gunn, NREL PIX/14268

PV panels and evacuated-tube solar thermal collectors combine 

to form an attractive rooftop on Cornell University’s 2005 Solar 

Decathlon house. Credit: Stefano Paltera
10 Solar Decathlon 2007 Team Web site: scusolar.org

Purpose Drives Innovation, 

Gratitude Inspires Giving Back

Design with purpose. This succinct 

philosophy guided the Santa Clara 

University team in its quest to build a 

sustainable solar house that is functional, 

elegant, intelligent, and innovative.

“Our house is dynamically smart. It uses 

computers to sense interior and exterior 

conditions and makes automatic adjustments 

for thermal comfort and efficient energy 

usage,” says Team Manager James Bickford.

It’s not surprising that students from Silicon 

Valley would take this approach to operating the 

innovative components incorporated in their house 

— starting with electrochromic 

windows. These windows use an 

innovative glass that, with a flip 

of a switch, darken to block the 

sun’s rays or lighten to let them 

in, depending on the temperature 

desired inside the house. 

Another innovation is a prototype 

solar thermal unit that can be used 

for space and water heating as well 

as air-conditioning. Typically used 

in large-scale applications such as 

warehouses, this technology (with 

absorption chillers) is being used 

here for the first time in a small 

space. Santa Clara’s house is 727 ft2

(67.5 m2). 

“Our community has 

given us enormous 

support, so we wanted 

to give back with a very 

robust outreach effort. 

This resulted in a 

heightened awareness 

of the environment and 

the importance of 

sustainability.”

— Santa Clara University 

student Meghan Mooney

With PV panels integrated 

into the siding to charge batteries for 

the Solar Decathlon event, the house was built to 

operate off the utility grid. When it returns to campus, it can 

easily be connected to the grid using an appropriate inverter — 

and its excess power sold to the utility provider.

Other features that contribute to the house’s sustainability are the 

use of environmentally low-impact materials such as bamboo for 

I-joist beams, floors, and finishes; energy-efficient appliances; and 

hybrid lighting using LEDs and compact fluorescents. Glass walls 

slide open to extend the interior living space onto the deck. Southfacing windows and properly sized overhangs allow the sun in 

during winter and keep it out during the summer.

It’s one thing to build a sustainable house; it’s another to measure 

and certify its sustainability. The Santa Clara team uses a unique 

sustainability meter that quantifies the power used for heating and 

cooling and measures the amount of carbon emissions the house 

saves. The collected data could be accessible online, enabling 

homeowners to adjust their heating and cooling system, appliances, 

and other devices from a remote location. In the future, this meter 

could be instrumental in the selling of carbon credits to carbon 

emitters — motivating Americans to save energy 

and accumulate carbon credits that can be turned 

into cash.

Purpose drives these students to innovate, and 

gratitude inspires them to share their knowledge 

with the community. “Our community has given us 

enormous support,” says Communication Director 

Meghan Mooney. “We wanted to give back, so we 

organized a mini solar decathlon competition among 

three local high schools.” The event resulted in 

greener schools and a heightened awareness of the 

environment and the importance of sustainability. ♦

101 Santa Clara 

University
Team Web site: www.solardecathlon.upm.es Solar Decathlon 2007 11

Designing Casa Solar for 

American Consumers 

The 26-member team from the 

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid 

is not the largest one competing in 

the 2007 Solar Decathlon, but it 

may be the most diverse. Most of its 

members are from Spain, but there are 

also graduate students from Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, 

Peru, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. 

Although the university participated in the Solar Decathlon in the 

2005 competition, only one of the students is a veteran. “We built 

on the lessons learned from the last Solar Decathlon and decided 

to shift the predominant design concept from Mediterranean to a 

contemporary design that will appeal to the average American,” 

says Eva Gomez, whose focus is interior design. 

“Our objectives are to demonstrate energy-efficient innovation 

that is applicable to single- and multi-family homes, develop a 

prototype for commercial manufacturing, and advance the social 

conscience on sustainability and the environment,” says Professor 

Sergio Vega. 

To achieve these goals, they used light construction materials 

and manufactured-building techniques that allow them to easily 

customize the house. The house incorporates water-saving 

technology and solid-state lighting. Electrochromic windows 

(which darken or lighten to either block or let in the sun’s rays), 

a double envelope, phase-change gels in the foundation, and 

operable windows help regulate the temperature. A “solar hearth” 

on the north façade houses PV-charged batteries. The lack of 

openings on the west eliminates overexposure to the afternoon 

sun. On the south, the home can be opened directly to an ample 

outdoor deck that has seating and vegetation. 

Inside are lots of colorful doors that screen off rooms such as 

the kitchen and bath. For convenience, chutes accessible from 

the kitchen counter allow homeowners to separate refuse 

into waste and recyclable materials that are fed 

into outdoor bins situated in a box 

outdoors on the north side.

This team’s social-awareness campaign 

was impressive. Not only did they get 

extensive newspaper and television 

coverage, they transported the first 

prototype of their house to the SIMA 

2007 Property Fair where about 

4,000 enthusiastic visitors learned about solar energy and energy 

efficiency. “Many visitors asked us how they can buy such a 

house,” says Gomez. In addition, when the house was returned to 

the university, Spain’s President, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, 

and two ministers were honored guests at an official ceremony 

coinciding with the España Solar Exhibition.

“Renewable energy is increasingly being supported by the 

government, with laws being passed to improve construction 

efficiency and require solar hot water on all buildings,” says 

Benito Lauret, faculty advisor.

Madrid’s house is an ongoing project. When it returns to Spain 

after the Solar Decathlon, the students will continue to refine 

its systems to improve the technologies further and aim for even 

greater efficiency.

For the Solar Decathlon, the 

team members feel confident 

that they have blended 

energy-efficient functionality 

with aesthetics that will 

appeal to the American 

consumer, which for them 

is a very important goal. ♦

“The points of view from 

so many countries brought 

out the best in everyone. 

Brainstorming was very 

creative and inspired 

everyone to work harder.”

— Universidad Politécnica de Madrid 

student Maria Perez

102 Universidad 

Politécnica 

de Madrid
12 Solar Decathlon 2007 Team Web site: solar.uprm.edu

Technology Imitates Life — 

in this Case, a Single Cell

Biomimicry was the genesis for the Universidad 

de Puerto Rico’s motto: Technology and Ecology: 

Partner for the Future. Biomimicry is a new concept 

emerging at all levels of innovation. It’s the study 

of nature’s best ideas, enabling astute observers to 

imitate design and process solutions provided by the 

natural world.

The team took its inspiration from a single cell, 

which embodies the essence of self-sufficiency and 

sustainability. The simplest unit of a living organism, the cell 

produces energy, recycles waste, adapts to changing conditions, 

functions independently, and communicates with other cells. 

This is also an apt description of Puerto Rico’s solar house: 

it incorporates everything it needs to be sustainable — it’s a 

living machine.

Sustainability was fundamental to all design and building 

decisions. “Because we are transporting our house [to the 

National Mall] by sea and land,” says architecture student Fátima 

Olivieri, “the house is divided and shipped in two pieces.” Each 

piece contains half of the nucleus, or control center. One half 

incorporates all the electrical equipment 

including PV modules and batteries, and 

the other half, the water components 

such as its solar thermal system.

“We had to look for lightweight 

materials to construct the house to 

reduce shipping costs and energy 

consumption,” says engineering student 

Ferdinand Cardona. “We used Extren 

fiberglass material for I-beams and 

columns. It has the same strength as 

steel, but is so much lighter.” 

103 Universidad de 

Puerto Rico

“A valuable 

experience for me 

was learning how 

to work with so 

many people with 

diverse educational 

backgrounds and 

points of view.”

— Puerto Rico student 

Marisa Bernal

Also contributing to the house’s energy efficiency and sustainability is a unique louvered screen that provides shade when the 

windows are open; an insulated translucent siding product called 

Kalwall that softens and diffuses daylight entering the house; 

Plexwood, which is recycled wood for flooring and walls; and 

3form translucent ecoresin panels for the nucleus of the house. 

All materials are maintenance free, lightweight, and recyclable.

Much as the cell adapts to variables in its environment, the Puerto 

Rico students designed their house to adapt to any environment it 

might occupy. For instance, the PV panels arranged like a pergola 

over the roof are tilted 17° to get the most out of solar conditions 

in Washington, D.C. In Puerto Rico, the angle would be adjusted 

to 20°, optimizing solar conditions there. 

Media attention helped the team members reach out to their 

audience. The project was written up in two magazines and was 

covered monthly by local TV news stations. The team members 

participated in national events such as the Puerto Rico Home 

Show. During “Solar Week,” the team organized a series of 

activities that included a groundbreaking ceremony and public 

presentations. Test driving the electric car for the “Getting 

Around” contest also attracted a lot of attention. “You don’t 

see too many of these cars in Puerto Rico,” says Professor of 

Architecture Jorge F. Ramirez.

According to Ramirez, the project has 

not only raised the consciousness of 

the students, but that of the university. 

“Sustainability is no longer an elective, 

but a required course in the School of 

Architecture.” 

The team feels that the house 

demonstrates that energy efficiency 

and sustainability are practical options 

for comfortable, livable dwellings. 

“Using the cell as a model for our home 

put us in touch with the environment 

and ecosystems and has taught us how 

to lead cleaner, better lives,” concludes 

Olivieri. ♦
Team Web site: archone.tamu.edu/solardecathlon Solar Decathlon 2007 13

Pieces Come Together 

for a Solar Home

Imagine instead of just moving furniture 

around when you wanted a change, being 

able to switch rooms around. The Texas 

A&M Decathlon team’s vision is for a 

totally modular “plug-and-play” home. 

“You could swap the position of the 

kitchen and the bath without a problem, 

buy an extra kitchen on eBay, or sell off 

a couple of rooms after the kids move 

out,” says recent architecture graduate 

Thomas Gerhardt. 

The A&M “groHome” concept is based 

on interchangeable and interconnected 

“groWall” units. Some of the 2.5-ft-thick 

(0.8 m-thick), 10 ft x 10 ft (3 m x 3 m) units will have all of a 

home’s kitchen, bath, or entertainment utilities built into them. 

Environmental Design student Josh Canez explains, “All the 

electricity and plumbing is easy to get to, and the plug-and-play 

approach will give the homeowner great flexibility, but it made 

things challenging for us. Everything is interconnected, so 

whenever we changed one piece, we had to rework everything 

else to match.” This interconnectivity goes both ways: from 

“groWalls” to the groHome, but also from groHome to 

envisioned “groCommunities” — whole neighborhoods of 

coordinated renewable energy homes.

In addition to zero-energy need, a parallel objective for the 

home is to be suitable for disaster recovery situations. While 

one version of the home will go to the Mall in Washington, 

D.C., for the Decathlon, another is being developed to go to 

Mississippi to replace housing destroyed by Hurricane 

Katrina. The groHome building system was already being 

explored on campus when the decision to enter the 2007 

Solar Decathon moved it from the concept stage to reality.

Another distinctive feature of the Texas A&M home is that 

it is like an animal with two skeletons. An inner skeleton 

of steel columns and beams provides the basic structure to 

which a skin of groWall units and structural insulated panels 

attaches. Then an outer skeleton of cables set 2 ft (0.6 m) 

to 3 ft (0.9 m) apart from the walls provides support from 

which the home’s PV panels (or other features such as 

flower trellises) are hung. Just as extra rooms can be easily 

added, so can extra PV panels to provide power for them. 

If a hurricane is forecast, the envelope of PV panels can 

be replaced with “armor.”

Hot water for both space heating and domestic water comes 

from a set of vertical evacuated tube solar collectors on the 

north side of the house. The lighting plan features CeeLite 

light-emitting capacitors (as opposed to diodes) that are 

paper thin, bendable, and can be cut into any shape.

104 Texas A&M 

University

The home also features a major 

landscaping plan that was designed 

around the concept of creating a healthy 

home. It includes a reflecting pool, a 

wetland that treats the pool water, and 

even a “bat tower” to provide fertilizer 

and get rid of insects. The reflecting pool, 

complete with fish, helps direct light to 

the solar thermal collectors.

Visitors on the Mall will learn about the 

home from hand-held PDAs that explain 

aspects of the home in response to 

scanning radio-frequency identification 

tags placed on all the home components 

and on displays mounted on the deck 

around the house. ♦

“It has been great 

to have all this realworld experience in 

the middle of going 

to school — pencil 

sketch to computer 

model to prototype 

to actual building. 

Some of our 

professors have 

never been able to 

do that.” 

— Texas A&M student 

Nick Schaider
14 Solar Decathlon 2007 Team Web site: www.ar.utexas.edu/utsolard

The BLOOM House 

This house is about life and its boundless possibilities; it’s also 

about a budding solar way of life. In fact, the name symbolizes 

a home that “blooms” like a rose under the sun.

“All the houses use solar. We wanted to take the technology out 

of the house and make people aware of their surroundings,” says 

Russell Krepart, faculty advisor. For example, wind “blows 

through the skin of the house.” The 

building’s “skin” responds to the 

wind through shutters that allow for 

enormous flexibility in terms of light, 

heat, fresh air, and privacy. Large 

moveable screens filter light entering 

from the east and define outdoor spaces. 

Solar technology is also taken outside. 

While solar collectors on the roof heat 

water for the home, the excess heat 

from the hot water system warms a hot 

tub outside. “The innovation is using a 

thing of joy like a hot tub as a technical 

105 University of Texas 

at Austin

amenity, as well — it takes heat out of the system so you don’t 

pay for heating the tub,” says student Jack Wingerath. 

The home’s orientation also considers the environment for 

maximum passive solar performance. Windows are well placed to 

“pull breezes” from the outside. The south-facing windows also 

feature louvered screens that block sunlight during the summer, yet 

allow more warm sunlight inside during the winter when the sun 

is lower in the sky. The home uses a passive means of lighting as 

much as possible. Students tried to find a balance between natural 

light and artificial lighting. 

Interior materials are both sustainable and Texas-influenced to 

create an inviting interior. The floors are mesquite wood, which 

is native to Texas. The “Texas-sized kitchen” contains state-ofthe-art appliances that enhance convenience and energy efficiency. 

A trivection oven cooks food quickly and thoroughly, while an 

induction cooktop transfers more heat directly to the food than 

traditional ranges. 

A 7.6-kW PV system, together with a roof brim, form the roof of 

the house that invites people in with its butterfly shape and proudly 

displays its technology. Students designed the PV system at a static 

angle, but it can be customized to the latitude where it will 

be installed for optimal solar exposure. 

“For me, the surprising thing was that the technology is 

readily available in Austin,” says student Matt Brugman. 

“I didn’t have to go far to get things done. I thought this 

project would be about finding new information, but 

professionals out there are installing this everyday.” 

Although the home is high tech, the students used standard 

materials found in most home improvement stores. “We 

wanted to take the fear of using the technology out of the 

system and give people a starting point,” says Krepart. 

“It’s technical, but you can do creative things with it.” 

The struggle is to make the house livable and appeal to the 

general public and still be efficient, says Krepart. “People 

don’t buy ugly things. The problem we’re running into 

is the Europeans are more advanced as far as energy 

efficiency. We can get those things here, but we run into 

a problem with code compliance and such. So what we’ve 

tried to do is be conscious design wise. If it’s ugly, people 

aren’t interested no matter how energy efficient.” ♦

“Our house is called 

the ‘bloom house’ 

because it promotes 

living your life in 

bloom. It allows you 

to live your life to its 

fullest potential.”

— University of Texas at 

Austin student Alex Miller
Team Web site: solar.uc.edu Solar Decathlon 2007 15

A Way with Walls 

The main living area of the University of Cincinnati 

Solar Decathlon project houses the living and dining 

rooms and kitchen in a single airy space with no 

dividing walls. Innovative walls, however, are key 

to the home’s inventive design. 

The living space is particularly airy because the whole 

south-facing wall separating it from the home’s 

courtyard is glass. That glass wall also lets in warming 

sunlight in the winter and provides abundant daylighting. 

The wall’s specially produced triple-pane, low-e glass 

maintains excellent insulation, and louvered shades 

keep out unwanted solar heating in summer. 

Ingenuity is evident in the rest of the home’s walls, as well. All 

walls have clerestory windows to complete the home’s daylighting 

system. All are also clad with a Formica rain screen separated by 

3 in. (7.6 cm) from the main walls to reduce pressure on them — 

a novel use of a material normally found inside a home.

“Novel, environmentally friendly, and efficient material use was a 

main goal,” says architectural graduate student Christopher Davis. 

The team sought to have the solar technology drive the design and 

not look like something attached as an afterthought. The cladding 

theme of the rain screens is continued in the use of solar electric 

panels as an integral layer of the entire south-facing roof. 

The most distinctive feature of the Cincinnati Decathlon home, 

however, is a wall that stands separate from the house. A “fence” 

of 120 evacuated tube solar thermal collectors forms the outer wall 

of the courtyard. This number of tubes far surpasses any past or 

present Decathlon entry. In exchange for the donation of the tubes, 

the team will monitor and share data 

on their operation with the 

manufacturer.

106 University of 

Cincinnati

“The Solar Decathlon 

experience has been 

really neat. I am in awe 

of the amazing things 

our team has done.”

— University of Cincinnati 

journalism student Jamie 

Woods

Hot water from these collectors is 

used and reused to cool and heat 

the home and provide domestic hot 

water. How can hot water be used 

to cool a house? This is done via 

an absorption chiller, which uses 

energy from the hot water for 

cooling. Hot water from the solar 

collector tubes flows into a “hot” 

storage tank, from which it goes to 

either the absorption chiller or a heat 

exchanger for the home’s forced-air 

heating and cooling system, depending on the season. (The same 

fans used for heating and cooling run at low speed to provide fresh 

recovery air for the airtight home when no heating or cooling is 

needed.) The “spent” hot water then flows to a “warm” storage 

tank to be put to work again. Both the domestic hot water system 

and a radiant floor heating system draw from this tank. 

“The absorption-chilling system is the key technological element 

that we worked into the home’s design,” says engineering student 

Brian Zimmerly. The Spanish-made system is 

one of only two residential-scale systems that 

the team could find. 

In keeping with the high-tech design, a “digital 

family” will be on hand to escort 

visitors through the home. Cartoon 

plaques of an architect father, 

businesswoman mother, and 

engineering whiz kid child posted 

throughout the home and along the 

ramp leading up to it will explain its design 

and how it works. Zimmerly sees the home 

design as one that “works both inside the box of 

the competition rules and goes beyond to apply to 

real-life use.” ♦
16 Solar Decathlon 2007 Team Web site: solarteam.org

Branching out in Maryland 

When designing their house, University of Maryland students 

drew inspiration from an unlikely source — the simple, yet 

vastly complex leaf. “We see the leaf as nature’s most efficient 

organism,” says Brittany Williams, student and one of the leaders 

of the architectural team. 

So Maryland’s “LEAFHouse” was born. Inside the house, at the 

ridge of the ceiling, exposed steel supports “branch out” from a 

wooden spine. This, along with a large expanse of glass, brings 

light and the feeling of nature into the house. Architecturally 

speaking, there’s a strong connection between the exterior and 

interior of the house, with a green wall of plants on the south side.

“Just as the leaf changes throughout the year, so can this house, 

given the mood of the owner,” says Jake Zager, student and 

co-manager of construction. The 

team sees a need for transformability in today’s housing. This 

transformability takes many forms 

through both large and small features 

in their design. For example, the 

interior features a series of movable, 

translucent panels that transform a 

small house into a large space. 

Adding to the airy feel is the lighting 

plan. “We have some enormous 

south-facing sliding glass doors that 

admit substantial light and open up 

views to the outside,” says John 

Kucia, student and co-manager of 

construction. 

107 University of 

Maryland

Translucent polycarbonate skylights, filled with nanogel for a 

higher R value than glass, traverse the length of the house. In 

coordination with the electrical system, the team is incorporating 

DMX, a lighting protocol used in theaters that will add a dramatic 

element to the space. “Think of this as industrial-strength lighting,” 

says Kucia.

The nature motif carries over to the technical side of the design. 

“The leaf is the ultimate solar collector. We emulate that with the 

systems in our house,” says Nirmal Mehta, student and engineering 

team leader. 

Mehta is particularly proud of the team’s smart-house system 

called SHAC (for Smart House Adaptive Control). Two undergraduate computer engineering majors built a sensor network 

to bring the comfort level of the home to the ideal. The design 

network monitors humidity, temperature, light, and whether the 

doors are open or closed — it’s a Web-enabled system that can 

even factor in weather forecasts. “We’re putting the workload on 

the computer to make better decisions about energy efficiency,” 

says Mehta. 

“But we want to make sure ‘Hal’ isn’t running the house,” Kucia 

says. “The humans can always override it.” 

The most innovative feature of the Maryland house may 

be the indoor waterfall — a liquid desiccant wall system 

fully contained behind glass — that evokes the spirit 

of the Chesapeake Bay area. As far as the team knows, 

such a system has never been used for a home. A 

Maryland professor mentored the team and led them 

through the design process. This experience became 

a learning process for faculty and students alike.

The team has drawn on other university and community 

resources as well, with faculty and local industry 

professionals logging countless volunteer hours. 

Maryland Decathletes from the 2002 and 2005 

competitions mentored this year’s team. 

“Our support system is strong,” says Zager. “We’ve 

learned that the true benefit of the competition is the 

effort we put into it and how much we grow from 

doing this.” ♦ 

We’ve learned how 

to integrate among 

disciplines, because 

we encouraged input 

from all disciplines 

from the beginning. 

We’ve learned about 

the great need for 

communications — 

from our mentors and 

from each other.” 

— University of Maryland 

student Brittany Williams
Team Web site: cusd.cornell.edu Solar Decathlon 2007 17

Raising the Bar on 

Sustainability 

How do you keep more than 

100 students from architecture, 

engineering, and business 

disciplines focused on building 

a futuristic solar house? 

“Streamlined teams, flexibility, 

continuous meetings, and 

consensus building,” says Andrew 

Chessen, who leads the business team. “We’re 

committed to working together in a meaningful way so 

that all team members have a fundamental understanding of 

what everyone is doing and how everything is integrated.”

Cornell’s organizational strategy parallels the unique construction 

of a “Light Canopy,” which is adapted to their solar house. The 

Light Canopy’s streamlined framework of steel trusses serves as 

a support for PV, evacuated tubes for solar water heating, and a 

series of vegetated screens that provide shade in the summer. 

This framework allows homeowners a great deal of flexibility in 

how they integrate renewable energy systems because it can also 

be set up independently of an existing structure. For example, 

they can add, remove, and rearrange components with relative 

ease. The structure can also be used to support rainwater collection 

devices, shelving, lighting, bike racks, and even suspended 

furniture.

Cornell has a reputation for being particular — the team performed 

strongly in the 2005 Solar Decathlon and brought home secondplace honors. “Cornell didn’t need to build another house,” says 

David Bosworth who leads the architecture and construction team. 

“But we do need to raise public awareness and encourage public 

adoption of residential solar energy.” That’s what inspired the 

students to push the envelope in building a house that is efficient, 

flexible, affordable, attractive, and adapts to the needs of a 

changing society. 

108 Cornell 

University

Cornell also takes 

great pride in the fact 

that all decisions are made by 

students. The student-led teams decided 

to use high-end, although not extremely 

rare technologies, so that they could 

more easily demonstrate to consumers 

how to integrate commercially available renewable energy and 

energy-efficient devices. “The house is designed to be highly 

efficient and easy to maintain and upgrade,” says Kristen 

Distefano, who co-chairs the architecture and construction team 

with Bosworth. The use of raised flooring also allows ductwork 

and wiring to be easily upgraded. 

Honoring their commitment to educate their peers and the public, 

the team members not only invited green building design and 

sustainable living experts from industry and academia to educate 

themselves and other students, they coordinated a variety of 

educational activities in their local community. They worked with 

Ithaca city schools to introduce students to solar energy and energy 

efficiency, collaborated with Cornell’s Ecology House on an Earth 

Day celebration event, and set up demonstrations at the local Ithaca 

Farmers Market.

“This hands-on experience has no doubt shaped the career 

directions of many of our students and changed the way they 

view the environment,” says Faculty Advisor Matthew Ulinski. 

Bernardo Menezes, engineering team lead, 

agrees. “The independent nature of the team 

is what made this experience so valuable. 

The students decided the direction of the 

project, and this gave us a sense of 

ownership.” 

With a heightened sense of commitment, 

team members learned about energyproducing and energy-saving components 

using advanced energy-modeling techniques. 

They considered properties such as 

recyclability, pollution potential, production 

waste, and efficiency of every product 

they used. But more importantly, they are 

demonstrating how anyone anywhere can 

start enjoying a sustainable lifestyle. ♦

“It’s as if the house 

anticipates the next 

technology and is 

ready for it.”

— Cornell student 

Kristen Distefano
18 Solar Decathlon 2007

“We wanted our 

house to be an 

economical option 

for people. We believe 

an average middle 

class family should 

be able to afford it.”

— University of MissouriRolla student Travis 

Brenneke

Team Web site: solarhouse.umr.edu

Good Things Come in Threes

What happens when your university has entered 

three Solar Decathlons, producing three distinct 

solar houses? In the case of the University of 

Missouri-Rolla, an on-campus solar village 

happens, replete with student housing and 

unparalleled research facilities.

“Our overriding goal every year has been to focus 

on the public and present solar energy in a way 

that appeals to them,” says Jacob Colbert, one of 

the student team leaders. But the team also seeks 

to investigate something new each year and 

establish research opportunities for current and 

future students and faculty.

They share the view that architecture is important, but their goal as 

a team is to further solar and renewable energy. “To do that, we are 

seeking to optimize both energy efficiency and energy production 

to reach a balance,” says Travis Brenneke, student and building 

project manager. “This is about showcasing not just what solar 

energy can do or a futuristic design, but striking a balance that 

will appeal to the masses and not go overboard in either direction.”

Automated systems have captured the attention of the 2007 

Missouri-Rolla team. Integral to this is a home automation system 

with indoor and outdoor sensors that will control air-conditioning, 

lighting, and windows. For example, the system “suggests” when 

the “energy sensible” thing to do is 

open the windows rather than turn 

on air-conditioning. The system can 

be customized, and the team will 

use this feature to add a home audio 

system.

109 University of 

Missouri-Rolla

The house takes advantage of natural light by incorporating 

many south-facing windows. A 12-ft (3.7-m) folding glass wall 

brightens the main living space. In the center of the glass is a 

door for egress — or the entire wall can be opened so the interior 

spaces joins up with the deck. This adds a nice touch for the 

homeowner in terms of appeal and comfortable living, which the 

team finds worth the energy cost of glass versus a solid wall.

The exterior of the Missouri-Rolla house is finished in Paperstone 

rain screen, which is UV resistant, easy to install, available in a 

multitude of colors, and 100% recyclable. Countertops are 50% 

recycled materials, and the floors are eucalyptus, which is harder 

and more resilient than bamboo flooring. And the supplier uses 

good forest-management practices.

At 7 kW, the PV system is much larger than Missouri-Rolla teams 

used on their 2002 and 2005 entries, which were 5 and 3 kW, 

respectively. “This year, we want to be able to compete in the 

‘Getting Around’ contest,” says Colbert. 

A great source of pride for the Missouri Decathletes is that 

everybody on their team has fingers in all aspects of 

the project. “We’ve gotten everybody involved with 

design, fundraising, building ... everything,” says 

finance student Adam Smith. 

“This is a real-world 

experience that makes 

us more marketable 

when we graduate.”

At home in Rolla, 

Missouri, the team 

has extended the 

welcome mat 

to their solar 

village. “We 

have an open-door 

policy,” says Colbert. “If people drop by or e-mail 

us, we’re more than happy to give a tour. We’re 

very excited to showcase to the public.” ♦
Team Web site: solarhouse.capd.ksu.edu Solar Decathlon 2007 19

Zero-Energy Technology Rolls across the Prairie

“Go mobile” — one of five points in the Kansas Project Solar 

House mission statement — gives a good start at characterizing the 

home the team designed. Transporting the homes to Washington, 

D.C., is a major challenge for many of the teams, but the virtually 

fully assembled Kansas entry fits on one truck. A second truck is 

used to carry solar panels and other additional components. 

“It can be unloaded from the truck and set up in a matter of hours,” 

says engineering student Brad Lutz. “On the way back from D.C., 

we will be stopping at major Kansas cities to display the home.” 

The team is hoping that thousands of Kansans will visit the home 

and become acquainted with the concept of a net zero-energy home 

(one that produces as much energy as it consumes during the 

course of a year).

The home’s extensive use of structural insulated panels makes it 

very “low labor.” “We were able to build the home in just eight 

days,” says architecture student Matt Teismann. “It should be ideal 

for off-grid vacation homes.” The home’s long, narrow shape is 

uniquely suited for showing off its renewable energy and energy 

efficiency features. A façade of solar panels easily attached to 

standing-seam metal roofing covers most of the south wall, right 

at eye level and tilted at 64o to maximize winter sun. The panels 

are integrated as the exterior face of the building.

Three additional panels on the roof are mounted on two-axis 

tracking systems to maximize energy capture. “We wanted the 

house to be a true demonstration of solar power at the residential 

scale,” says Lutz.

110 Kansas Project Solar House(Kansas State University and 

University of Kansas)

Another point in the Kansas 

mission statement is to “redirect 

expectations,” and the home 

challenges visitors to do just that. 

It demonstrates that you don’t 

necessarily need heat or artificial 

lighting for common household 

tasks. A centrifugal clothes dryer 

uses a fraction of the energy of a 

conventional heated dryer. An 

induction cooktop heats only the 

cookware and the food inside it, 

never getting hot to the touch. 

Backup water heating is at the 

point of use instead of keeping 

a storage tank hot. A translucent polycarbonate north window wall 

and skylights provide daylighting. Indirect fluorescent lights blend 

with the daylighting, with only a few LED can lights for task 

lighting. The translucent windows emit a soft glow at night.

The home’s sophisticated monitoring and control system, 

developed by Siemens Building Technologies, directs all utility 

systems, turning systems off when they are not needed or if the 

home’s energy supply is low. As a backup though, batteries hold 

three days worth of energy.

The Kansas team members made extensive use of recycled and 

reclaimed materials. Finishes include reclaimed wood from a 

deconstructed barn they tore down themselves, recycledglass Enviroglas terrazzo concrete, and sustainably 

harvested wood flooring and exterior decking. These 

building material choices reflect the team’s central 

mission statement point — “to celebrate this place, 

to be an ambassador to represent the state of Kansas.”

Future plans for the home are to use it as a research 

center, to keep monitoring its operation, and to use it 

to try out new technologies as they become available. 

Architecture student Tim Sherman describes the 

Decathlon as “an amazing learning experience, one 

of the best so far in my career.” ♦

“This has given me a 

career path. I know 

now I want to be 

involved in renewable 

energy or green 

building. I knew 

nothing about solar 

before this.” 

— Kansas State University 

student Brad Lutz
20 Solar Decathlon 2007 Team Web site: solar.colorado.edu

Thinking Big While Staying Small

When you’re the two-time champion of 

the Solar Decathlon, you have two ways 

to go: either try to perfect your previous 

entry to maximize your winning potential 

or take another approach altogether. Never 

ones to take the easy route, the team from the 

University of Colorado at Boulder is striking out in a new 

direction, with a focus on creating a marketable house.

“We’re looking at it from a broader perspective,” says Michael 

Brandemuehl, an associate professor in the Department of Civil, 

Environmental, and Architectural Engineering. “In some ways, 

we’re really trying to look beyond the competition to production 

homes in general. We’re designing and building a full-size house 

to make our story more relevant to 

homeowners as well as the building 

industry.” 

Because the Colorado team considers 

the Solar Decathlon size guidelines 

too limiting, they’ve actually designed 

a much larger house, at 2,100 ft2

(196 m2). To make this work in the 

competition, the 700-ft2 (65-m2) 

central core of the house works as a 

home in its own right and will be built 

and brought to the competition in 

October. Decking around the house 

will demonstrate the outline of the 

full house.

111 University of Colorado 

at Boulder

“We have 

designed it as a full 

house, with just a piece that 

detaches,” says Sara Hrynik, who recently graduated with a degree 

in environmental design, “and then we have continued to work on 

all of the details within the competition module to make sure that 

it is just as pristine and beautiful and interesting as the rest of the 

house.” 

The Colorado team is also emphasizing prefabricated housing. The 

core or “spines” of the house — including the heating and cooling 

systems, electrical service, laundry, and kitchen — are all enclosed 

within two modified shipping containers. If the concept were 

commercialized, the core of home could be assembled in a day 

by delivering the two containers to the job site, with all the 

plumbing and electrical lines and major mechanical components 

pre-installed.

“The coolest thing about our house,” says Hyrnik, “is that we 

have designed the mechanical spines so that they can be shipped 

and built almost anywhere, allowing the homeowner to build 

the rest of the house with local materials in the local vernacular. 

‘Prefabricated’ does not mean that everything has to be the same 

in every house.”

Using shipping containers to build prefab housing is a concept 

drawing quite a bit of attention in architecture circles, in part 

because of the potential cost savings. In the case of the Colorado 

team, the concept also fits perfectly with the Solar 

Decathlon, because it will allow the team to easily ship 

it across the country. 

But for these students, the work is not complete when 

they return from the Solar Decathlon, because that’s when 

they’ll build the remaining 1,400 ft2 (131 m2) of the home, 

including three more bedrooms, two more baths, a breakfast 

nook, and additional living space. On the plus side, though, 

that plan is also a major source of funding. The enterprising 

Colorado students have already sold the final structure to 

the team’s primary sponsor, Xcel Energy, which will use 

it as a permanent facility for research, education, and 

outreach to both the industry and the public. ♦

“The beating heart of 

our mechanical system 

is a heat pump with 

two storage tanks — 

one hot and one cold 

— so we can capture 

energy from the 

environment when it’s 

available, store it in 

our tanks, and use it 

when we need it.”

— University of Colorado 

graduate student Justin 

Spencer
Team Web site: solardecathlon.de Solar Decathlon 2007 21

Germany’s Newest Export Product

“Made in Germany” is a phrase that applies well to the Solar 

Decathlon entry from the Technische Universität Darmstadt. 

The team members want to present the German way of building, 

showcasing German technologies and materials in their solar 

house, including German oak.

The emphasis on “Made in Germany” products and technologies 

is apparent in the team’s collaboration with German companies 

and manufacturers, such as Bosch, which provided three-month 

internships in its development department for two Darmstadt 

students. That arrangement provided a test bed for the students 

to study the performance of the systems that will provide hot 

water and climate control for the house.

“It was very interesting because we had all those experts right 

next to us, and when we had specific questions, we always got 

very good answers very quickly,” says Toby Kern, an architecture 

student who was one of the interns.

Given Germany’s love affair with high technology, you might 

expect Darmstadt’s entry to be a paragon of technology, a finely 

tuned clockwork mechanism of precision-engineered parts. But 

you’d be wrong.

“We definitely have high tech in this home,” says Kern, “but first 

we wanted to try to use the low-tech passive way to condition the 

house and to conserve energy with a highly insulated building 

shell. When we see that that’s not enough, then we also use the 

high-tech techniques to heat or cool or gain energy and to provide 

a high comfort level.”

But that’s not to say that the Darmstadt house isn’t filled with its 

share of technology. Along with highly efficient appliances, the 

house incorporates phase-change materials in the ceiling and in the 

north and south walls. Microcapsules of paraffin embedded in the 

walls change from a solid to a liquid as they are heated, providing 

an efficient and lightweight means of storing energy within the 

walls of the home.

The north and south sides of the house are transparent, and oak 

louvers on all sides provide shading and privacy, but even these 

louvers incorporate advanced technology. The Darmstadt team 

has incorporated solar cells into the 

east, south, and west 

louvers, so they 

generate power 

while providing 

shading. A 

tracking system 

automatically tilts 

the louvers to follow 

the sun during the 

day, maximizing 

the shading and the 

production of power 

from the louvers.

112 Technische Universität 

Darmstadt

After the Solar Decathlon, the 

house will return to Germany to 

be used as a solar power plant, as 

part of the university’s project 

called the Solar Campus (“Solare 

Lichtwiese”), through which all 

buildings on campus will be 

equipped with building-integrated 

PV, feeding electricity into the 

German power grid. 

Germany has a “solar feed-in tariff” 

that provides a guaranteed price 

for any solar power that is fed into 

the German power grid. Because 

the feed-in tariff is high enough 

to more than cover the cost of the 

installation over the long term, the university is selling shares 

to the public to finance these PV systems; this yields a return for 

the investors as the revenue from selling the power is split among 

them. The Solar Decathlon house will be the first piece in this 

ambitious project — continuing to showcase the potential of 

building-integrated solar power generation. ♦

“One of the main 

criteria for our house 

is that we actually feel 

the different seasons 

and daytimes; that we 

live in the house, but 

also experience nature 

in the house as well.”

— Toby Kern
22 Solar Decathlon 2007 Team Web site: solar.gatech.edu

113 Georgia Institute 

of Technology

Bring on the Sun! 

It’s a perennial challenge for architects and engineers — how 

do you open up a building to sunlight without creating glare and 

overheating the interior space? And how can you maintain a tight, 

well-insulated space that still has a bright, expansive, moodenhancing ambience? The team from Georgia Tech is taking on that 

challenge with gusto. They are bringing on the sun ... playing with 

light to see how it can transform and open up a living space.

“We’ve placed a great emphasis on light and bringing light into the 

house in unique ways,” says Jason Mabry, a recent Architecture 

graduate and co-leader of the construction project. “Visitors will 

be able to see how the house works within itself. They’ll see all the 

technologies we’re putting into the house to make it more livable 

and efficient.”

The approach is most obvious in the use of translucent walls, 

made of two sheets of polycarbonate that enclose an aerogel filler. 

Aerogel, sometimes referred to as “solid smoke,” is the lightest solid 

known. The material is an excellent insulator and is translucent, 

allowing filtered light to enter the home. Light is also admitted through 

a clerestory, a row of clear windows above the walls of the house.

Even the building’s roof transmits 

natural daylight. Made of translucent 

film, the lightweight roof comprises 

two layers — one of aerogel that 

insulates and another on top of that 

to shed water and drain the roof. 

Architecture student Alstan Jakubiec 

did the design drawings for the 

custom-built roof. “It’s really 

exciting to have it on the house — 

this product is normally used for big 

installations like football stadiums,” 

he says.

The solar panels are mounted just above the roof and tilt to 

follow the sun, maximizing power generation while shading 

the roof from direct sunlight. The roof will generate nearly 

6 kW of power, while a vertical solar panel rain screen on 

the south wall adds another 2.5 kW.

Jason Brown, an engineering student who is now pursuing 

a Ph.D. in architecture, sees many features of the Georgia 

Tech house as pushing the envelope. “A model-based control 

system, a PC, runs according to how the house expects itself 

to operate. It’s programmed to use energy in an optimum 

way, based on the idea that we have a limited budget of 

energy,” he says.

Joe Jamgochian, a recent Architecture graduate who co-leads 

the construction project with Mabry, relishes the opportunity 

to work in close collaboration with university professors, 

engineering students, and specialists in the construction 

industry. He is particularly proud of the team’s 

work ethic. “There’s been a real commitment 

by a core group of students and faculty to take 

individual responsibility for our project as a 

whole,” he says. “They think of the potential 

issues ahead and address them.”

Mabry echoes that notion. “You can sit in a design 

studio all day long, but the reward is to actually 

build it ... to realize your design, build what you’ve 

drawn, and see what it’s like in the real world.” 

Brown has his own ideas about impacting the 

world. “I’m now thinking about going into 

teaching,” he says. “This experience makes me 

want to teach in a way that gets people excited. 

Teach it by doing it. Learn it by doing it. That’s 

the greatest thing about the Solar Decathlon.” ♦

“Here we are, with the 

house almost completed, 

by students who have 

little or no professional 

experience. We have built 

our house, and that’s 

really significant. It’s 

not a timesheet thing.”

— Georgia Institute of 

Technology Architecture 

graduate Joe Jamgochian
Solar Decathlon 2007 23 Team Web site: andrew.cmu.edu/org/SD2007

Plug and Play House 

“Plug and play” takes on a whole 

new meaning at the Carnegie 

Mellon house: the rooms can 

be easily upgraded or rearranged 

to suit the owner. The house 

was designed around three basic 

concepts: plug-and-play adaptability 

of the rooms, the house as an exhibit, 

and sustainability.

Much like adding a new plug-and-play 

device to a computer, the house itself can 

be upgraded with smaller or larger rooms. All the 

rooms are arranged around the home’s central core, which 

contains all the home’s mechanical systems. Connections 

to mechanical supports are installed in the core, and they are 

easily accessible and adjustable.

The structure of the house is a steel post and beam system with 

infill panels that support insulation panels and interior finishes. 

A “pressure-equalized rain screen” prevents cracks and leaks in 

the exterior walls. Sustainable materials such as high-efficiency 

insulation and native white oak from Pennsylvania for the exterior 

were used as much as possible.

The home’s solar energy features include daylighting design that 

maximizes natural light and reduces the need for electrical lighting; 

a 6.88-kW solar electric system on the roof; and a solar water 

heating system above the bathroom. All the rooms, which are 

referred to as “living pods” by the students, have their own 

junction boxes so electrical use can be adjusted to unique living 

situations.

To reinforce the sustainable living message, a “greenscape” 

composed of plants was added to provide insulation. It literally 

114 Carnegie Mellon 

University

grows from the land, up the 

walls, and onto the roof, where 

the plants keep the home cool 

in summer. 

A common space connects the 

Carnegie Mellon home with the 

home of the Decathlon team from 

Germany, softening the edges 

of the house and reinforcing 

the sense of community and 

neighborly interaction.

Inside, energy-efficient 

appliances and lighting provide 

more energy savings. Drama 

students used their stage-lighting 

experience to create a “lighting 

mood” in the home and worked with Human Computer 

Interactions students to create a lighting tool that educates 

visitors about how and when the home is using electricity.

“This solar home is a fantastic educational tool for the public and 

the team,” says student Rosemary Lapka. “I can’t get the hands-on 

experience in the classroom I get working on this project. I work 

with real people, real time tables, and real budgets. It makes it 

very educational.” 

Carnegie Mellon worked with two other universities on this 

project. The Art Institute of Pittsburgh helped students design the 

furniture. The University of Pittsburgh helped with construction 

and will install the house permanently after the Decathlon in 

the Powder Mill Nature Reserve, an outdoor educational center 

affiliated with the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. At 

Powder Mill, a “Living Machine” will be added to remove grey 

water and process it through a series of tanks full of live plants, 

trees, grasses and algae, goldfish, tiny freshwater shrimp, snails, 

and a diversity of microorganisms and bacteria to break down 

waste and turn it into crystal-clear water. ♦

“We want to 

encourage the 

housing industry to use 

our design system to 

create homes that families 

can design around their 

needs and change them 

as their needs change, 

like when they have a 

new baby or empty nest. 

It creates a whole new 

section on eBay!”

— Carnegie Mellon student 

Ben Saks
24 Solar Decathlon 2007 Team Web site: solar.psu.edu

Embracing the Possibilities 

When abundant opportunities and 

possibilities are on the horizon, people 

often get stuck deciding which ones 

to pursue. Not so for the Penn State 

Solar Decathlon team. This highenergy group of students is taking 

them on one after another.

Take the Market Viability contest, for 

example, which is new to this year’s 

Decathlon. The Penn State students 

were inspired by the challenge and 

ended up building two homes to test 

their market concept. The competition 

home, MorningStar Pennsylvania, will 

serve as a renewable energy research lab and educational residence 

on campus to inform people about the environmental and economic 

benefits of sustainable design. Its sister home, MorningStar 

Montana, will house visiting faculty at Chief Dull Knife College 

on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. This affordable version of 

the MorningStar concept will help advance the use of solar energy 

in another climate and culture.

“We see our Solar Decathlon home, and the one in Montana, as 

prototypes where people can learn,” says member Sal Gimbert. 

The team used a hybrid 

construction process with a 

mix of prefab and site-built 

elements. The “Technical 

Core” of the house 

(kitchen, bath, mechanical 

components) is shipped to 

the home’s location, and 

locally available “materials 

of opportunity” are used to 

complete the home. 

115 Penn State

A big part of their process was to integrate architecture and 

engineering concepts around energy issues. “We believe this is the 

key to sustainable design,” says Gimbert. This integration appears 

in many of the decisions made by the Penn State team.

An “Energy Dashboard” will monitor and display energy 

consumption and production to teach the inhabitants about how 

they are “spending” their energy. A curtain wall system with PVpowered LED lighting will glow different colors depending on 

weather forecasts. Pennsylvania bluestone and reclaimed slate 

shingles will provide thermal mass. And just to be ready for 

anything, the home’s mechanical system includes four ways 

to heat water.

When a 100-year-old elm tree fell on the Penn State campus, 

another material of opportunity emerged, and the lumber was put 

to good use for a student-crafted dining table. Another fallen tree, 

this one a white oak, became a set of movable sun shades on the 

south wall. In the living space, the “Movable Wall” can either 

expand the bedroom or the living and dining area, depending 

on the needs and moods of the occupants.

The students saw the talent and expertise 

available at Penn State as yet another 

opportunity. “From the beginning, we 

wanted to engage as many university 

programs as possible. So, we kept the 

design process open to a range of 

disciplines throughout the university. 

Close to 900 Penn State students have 

been involved in the Solar Decathlon,” 

says member Andreas Phelps.

What’s their attitude going into the 

competition? “We’re going for broke,” 

says member Gretchen Miller. “We want 

to be outstanding representatives for the 

Penn State community by using the Solar 

Decathlon as a catalyst to reach our longterm goals. There’s no stopping us.” ♦

“There is a large breadth of 

disciplines on our team. It’s 

a big challenge, but a good 

challenge. You see things in 

a different light — not just in 

the way you are trained.”

— Penn State Solar Decathlon Team 

member Angela Lewis
Solar Decathlon 2007 25

“The Decathlon 

experience has 

been a powerful 

opportunity to 

engineer, design, 

build, and finance 

the creation of an 

energy-efficient 

home.” 

— MIT graduate 

student Corey Fucetola

Team Web site: mit.edu/solardecathlon

Learning from the Past 

Mens et manus — mind and hand. Staff researcher Kurt 

Keville cites the historic university motto as the guiding 

philosophy for the MIT Solar Decathlon team effort. “It is 

like an intense clinic on architectural terminology. We get to 

take the analysis and learning we do in class and turn it into 

the real world — all the way down to insurance and locating 

the house on the lot so that it would be easier to load on the 

truck.”

Analysis is part of the MIT culture, and the Decathlon team 

applied it to lessons from the past to craft its vision of housing 

for the future. An architecture class reviewed and analyzed all the 

2002 and 2005 Solar Decathlon entries. Determining that the 2002 

Solar Decathlon heat wave is more likely to occur than the 2005 

rainstorms, the team designed with the assumption of at least one 

sunny day for the week. In this spirit, the team sought to minimize 

conversion losses wherever possible — employing efficient solar 

cells, a small battery footprint, complete waste mitigation, and 

maximized solar thermal collection.

Although this is MIT’s first Decathlon entry, it is by no means the 

school’s first solar home. The team refers to the home as “Solar 7,” 

because MIT has built six solar homes in the past, going back to 

the 1930s. Studying the history of these homes helped inspire the 

new home’s primary technological feature, which is an innovative 

use of solar thermal systems. Passive solar thermal energy storage 

was a key feature in one of the historic homes. The new MIT 

Decathlon entry features a Trombe wall of translucent tiles that 

are used to passively convert sunlight into stored heat. 

The home also has two sets of 30 evacuated-tube solar thermal 

collectors, which heat water flowing to a water storage tank. The 

tank serves both in-floor radiant heating and 

domestic hot water, which also includes a 

backup electrical heater. The team 

designed the home with lots of cross 

ventilation and commercial throughthe-wall air conditioners for 

cooling. A flexible system of 

doors allows the bedroom, 

office, and great room to be 

joined or separated, providing a 

flexible living space. Similarly, 

a sliding door between the great 

room and deck lets in breezes to 

cool the interior while blending 

the exterior space into the great 

room.

Separate alternating- and direct-current 

circuits efficiently use the energy from the 

home’s solar cells. These high-efficiency 

SunPower PV modules provide the flexibility 

of more than 8 kW of power. Extensive 

innovative use of recycled materials 

116 Massachusetts 

Institute of 

Technology

demonstrates the effectiveness of 

sustainable design. These materials 

include yellow pine beams refurbished 

from a mill and windowpanes from the 

John Hancock Building in Boston 

(which became infamous for popping 

out of the building) that form a clerestory skylight to daylight the great room.

If you don’t make it to the MIT home, 

you can still tour the home on the 

virtual reality Web site secondlife.com. 

Another high-tech feature to help 

explain the home to visitors will be a 

touchscreen computer coffee table that 

interfaces with software controls for the 

home’s utility systems. A comment from 

a contractor helping the MIT Decathlon 

team members build their home conveys 

the spirit of the team: “I’ve wanted to 

build a home like this since I was a 

child; this is fabulous.” ♦
26 Solar Decathlon 2007 Team Web site: solarmontreal.ca

Polar Revolution 

You may have heard of the popular new book 

“Solar Revolution.” In a similar vein, Team 

Montreal students are starting a polar revolution 

to make solar energy popular in cold northern 

climates. Their biggest challenge is convincing 

their northern audience that solar technology can 

indeed work well in very cold climates. 

“We think we’ve done that,” says Joanna Rosvalt, an architecture 

student from McGill University. “The most important thing for us 

was to focus on the building envelope. It had to be both functional 

and aesthetic.”

Team Montreal’s home starts with a special structural steel frame 

that is easy to assemble and disassemble, allowing the students 

to put together the house very quickly. Unlike many teams that use 

modular homes, the walls (and some of the furniture) are “clipped” 

directly to the steel frame. Inside the frame, polyurethane 

insulation made from soybeans and recycled plastic keeps the 

occupants warm during those cold 

northern winters. Windows are triple 

glazed, low-e, and have automated 

shading, trapping the sun’s heat once 

inside. A green roof and a green wall 

reduce energy used for cooling and 

add insulation as well as rain water 

recovery. 

On the roof, 40 PV panels producing 

8.2 kW will also be clipped to the 

structure, so they won’t need any other 

roofing under the PV system, reducing 

the cost and use of unnecessary 

117 Team Montréal(École de Technologie 

Supériore, Université 

de Montréal, McGill 

University)

materials. In the middle of the roof, two solar thermal collectors 

heat water for both the radiant floor and household use. 

The team tried to incorporate as many locally made and raw 

materials as possible to reduce the environmental impact caused 

by shipping. For example, most of the furniture will be made of 

reused materials. 

A unique feature is the use of artificial intelligence for temperature 

control and energy use. The “house” will search the Web for the 

weather forecast to predict the amount of energy it will be able 

to produce in the days to come and how much it will need for its 

occupants. The system will recommend energy use choices to meet 

upcoming demands. The system controls heating, cooling, lighting, 

shading, and ventilation, all with one interface. Unlike traditional 

energy management systems, this one can get information from 

several systems communicating with different protocols, so 

decisions can be made based on more information.

The interface in the house manages the “fueling” of the electric 

car for the Getting Around contest. The home’s interface will say: 

“The battery is low. Where do you want to consume the energy 

left tonight? In the car or for the home, and in what proportion?” 

How a home is insulated and designed is very important, but so 

are utility prices, says student Catherine Seers. “Quebec has the 

cheapest electricity rates in North America. They 

average about 6 to 7 cents per kWh. PV is too 

expensive for many Canadians, but solar thermal 

collectors are cost effective and they work well 

in winter too. We’ll promote solar thermal and 

energy efficiency products a lot in Canada, 

because we’re showing great savings with those 

technologies.” 

Team Montreal is composed of about 40 students 

who have joined together from three of 

Montreal’s esteemed universities: École de 

Technologie Supérieure and the architectural 

schools at the Université de Montréal and McGill 

University. The team proudly represents Montreal 

and Canada. ♦

“I always dreamed 

of living in a smart 

home that could be 

autonomous and 

ecological. Isn’t it 

amazing to be able 

to build one?”

— Michael Chapman, 

team president and 

student at École de 

Technologie Supérieure
Team Web site: solardecathlon.uiuc.edu Solar Decathlon 2007 27

Assembly Line to Success

What is a Solar Decathlon team to do when the 

unpredictable Midwest climate interferes with 

building the house outdoors? If you’re the 

University of Illinois team, you simply build it 

inside a warehouse.

“We set up an assembly line, a rail system, to 

construct the home in three modules — we can roll 

modules out of the warehouse and onto the truck,” 

says student Bob Kinsey. “We have demonstrated 

our ability to mass-produce these modules in a largescale environment.”

The concept of modular design is not something new, 

but people may think of it as low quality. 

“This is not true for us,” says architecture student 

Nora Wang. “We designed the building to be flexible, 

comfortable, and livable. And you can customize the 

interior space, which helps engage the user’s 

imagination.”

The students also built energy simulation into their 

design. “Our model is able to predict how much energy 

the building will use and how much will be generated 

by our PV panels,” says student Luis Martinez. “Several 

iterations of our design process used the energy model. 

This allowed us to study and optimize many of the design 

parameters, such as insulation thickness.” 

When it comes to making the house comfortable and easy 

to live in, the team has this covered, too. “This area may 

be the most innovative element for us,” says student Ben 

Barnes. Cooling and heating is all radiant via ceiling 

panels — no forced air is used. Regarding 

118 University of 

Illinois at UrbanaChampaign

dehumidification, the 

team is exploring a design 

that integrates aesthetics and functionality. 

With delight, Barnes admits to “breaking 

and rebuilding almost all of the appliances, 

such as putting in much more efficient 

compressors to save energy.”

The team’s approach to lighting also 

was carefully conceived. Placement of 

windows and doors for daylighting was 

designed in parallel with the artificial 

lighting plan. They are using dimmable fluorescent lights and LED bulbs 

for task lighting. The students even designed their own reflectors to reflect 

light onto the ceiling. “The LED was invented by a graduate and current 

professor at the University of Illinois, so we take great pride in using this 

technology,” says student Susan McKenna. 

Every piece of furniture and cabinetry in the home is student-designed and 

customized with inhabitants’ activities in mind. The team used eco-friendly 

material, such as bamboo and reusable 3form panels. A local firm, which 

is headed by an Illinois alumnus, built the kitchen cabinets from 100% 

recycled particleboard. “Our industry contacts are excited to get their 

products out there. One of the greatest things is the 

way people have stepped up to the plate,” says Wang.

This highlights the team’s success with in-kind donations, 

which became a main component of their funding 

strategy. For example, the team received four compressors 

from a Danish company and two from a Brazilian 

company, both of which are affiliated with the Air 

Conditioning and Refrigeration Center at the university. 

“We go to a company and say, ‘This is where we see your 

role in the house of the future.’ They see a new market 

and get excited,” says Barnes.

The team members feel certain that the modularity and 

flexibility of their design translates well to the consumer. 

“This is about the affordability of a solar home for 

everyone. It’s the Volkswagen of homes,” says Kinsey. ♦

“ We have developed 

a marketable prototype. 

This ‘new solar’ house is 

not just about adding PV 

panels, it can be a fancylooking building and 

comfortable, too.” 

— University of Illinois 

student Nora Wang
28 Solar Decathlon 2007 Team Web site: solar.ltu.edu

A New Contender 

For some teams coming to the Solar 

Decathlon for the first time, the challenges 

of designing a home, raising funds, 

procuring equipment, and actually building 

the home and bringing it to the National 

Mall are enough to deal with. Not so for 

Michigan’s Lawrence Technological 

University, which is aiming to achieve far 

more than the competition’s requirements.

“All of the design choices that we’re 

making and all of the technical choices 

that we’re making are really taking into 

consideration not only what’s good for the competition, but what’s 

good for the environment,” says Christina Span, an architecture 

student.

That includes drawing on locally sourced, sustainable materials, 

such as decking material made of a composite of rice hulls and 

polymer. It also means packing the small house chock-full of 

technology. 

One example is the use of structural insulated panels for the walls 

and ceilings. These prefabricated building components sandwich 

an insulating foam between two sheets 

of oriented strand board, creating a 

highly insulating wall that can be 

quickly assembled, making construction 

of the walls and roof a breeze. In 

addition, electrochromic windows, 

which can be turned from clear to tinted 

electronically, control the amount of 

sunlight coming into the home.

To help cool the house, a “solar 

chimney” uses the natural tendency of 

119 Lawrence 

Technological 

University

hot air to rise as a means to channel hot air out of the house. For 

heat and hot water, the home draws on evacuated tube collectors 

to produce hot water, which runs through tubes in the flooring 

to create a radiant heating system.

Achieving an environmentally sensitive design with green 

materials, innovative efficient products, and a range of solar 

technologies required the close collaboration of engineering and 

architecture students, most of whom had never worked together 

before. The project also raised awareness of green building among 

many of the team members.

“I realized that green building is going to be an integral part of 

any engineering project from here into the future,” says Chris 

McCarthy, an electrical engineering student. “I want to increase 

my knowledge of other systems, and the Solar Decathlon was 

a great way to start that, and to start me on my way.” 

Lawrence Tech’s cross-disciplinary team has also generated four 

senior projects for undergraduates, as well as one graduate project. 

For the architecture students, nearly all are now considering 

graduate schools with design/build programs, because they realize 

the benefits of seeing a project through to its final construction.

“That’s across the board, as far as the 

architecture students that have gotten involved,” 

says Christina Span.

The project also has the strong backing of the 

school, and most important, of the school’s 

alumni. A special campaign sparked the interest 

of the school’s alumni and yielded significant 

funding for the team.

“We had one of the largest alumni-giving 

campaigns ever,” says Assistant Professor 

Philip Plowright, who teaches in the College 

of Architecture and Design. “We’ve had people 

give to the university who have never given 

anything before, because they heard we were 

doing this.” ♦

“This competition 

has just been huge 

for our university; 

it has transformed 

the face of it in 

some ways.”

— Lawrence Tech 

student Elliott Schmitt
Solar Decathlon 2007 29 Team Web site: iris.nyit.edu/solardecathlon2007

Open Minds, Open House

Close your eyes and imagine this house 

on a beach. The entire south wall, a key 

feature of the home, opens to the beach, 

breezes, and natural light. 

Students from the New York Institute of 

Technology named their dwelling “Open 

House” for two reasons. First, they are 

targeting beachfront homeowners to show them how solar energy 

and sustainable design can complement shoreline properties. The 

students also point out that their design would work well on any 

property with a good southern view. Second, the term “open 

house” is an expression of the team’s ideal home: a home with 

influence extending beyond its physical walls... a home that is 

one with its community and nature.

Integration with nature and the community begins with the 

architecture. A unique southern wall opens completely to the 

beach, blending the line between sand and walls. A white ceiling 

helps to maximize natural light. A contained pond on the roof 

reflects light back into the open space, which further maximizes 

daylight and reduces the need for electrical lighting. 

The home is filled with low-energy-consuming appliances and 

lighting. All the mechanical systems are integrated together, 

making them more efficient. The floors and roof are made from 

structural insulated panels, a prefabricated product that offers 

superior insulation and ease of construction.

On the roof, an evacuated-tube solar thermal system collects solar 

energy for water heating and space heating. A geothermal heat 

pump uses the roof pond (rather than the more typical underground 

installation, which can’t be used on the Mall) as a heat source to 

provide extra heating. A building-integrated 7.7-kW PV system 

doubles as the shading overhang for the south wall. 

Despite the home’s advanced solar technology, the team was 

surprised at how tough it is to sell solar to the 

public. “We didn’t realize how much 

more still needs to be 

done to have the 

120 New York 

Institute of 

Technology

public embrace solar,” says student 

Daniel Rapka. “People don’t realize 

a solar home operates like a normal 

home. You don’t have to give up 

anything to live in this home. You can 

design it around a normal standard of 

living. You can have a stereo, TV, etc. 

You can give users everything they 

want to be happy in their home.“

Another layer of integration is the 

home-automation system or “smart 

house” feature. This system allows 

people to get real-time data on energy 

use. The home-automation system 

serves as an educational tool by giving 

the public a user-friendly way to view 

a home’s energy use. 

“The smart house feature ties into our 

open house idea where not only homeowners learn about the 

house, but homeowners could put their energy-use information up 

on a blog so the community could share in the information,” says 

student Matt Mathosian. “People could log on to a Web site where 

they could comment about energy use.”

In the meantime, the team plans to educate visitors to the 

Decathlon with an advanced 3-D tour using handheld computers 

that take visitors on a tour of the home. Tour elements are also 

integrated into the house. Educating the community will 

continue after the event. The team plans to bring the home 

back to campus and start a new sustainable design center 

for students. The home will also be used as a guest 

house for visiting dignitaries. ♦

 “What inspires us 

is the notion of a 

house being part of 

a community ... a 

house that shares 

resources with the 

community ... a 

community where 

like-minded people 

share ideas and 

energy sources.”

— New York Institute 

of Technology student 

Matt Mathosian
30 Solar Decathlon 2007

U.S. Department of Energy

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

The mission of the U.S. Department of Energy 

(DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 

Energy (EERE) is to strengthen America’s energy 

security, environmental quality, and economic 

vitality in public-private partnerships that promote 

technological innovation for buildings, homes, 

transportation, power systems, and industry. 

The need for energy efficiency and renewable energy 

has never been greater. President George W. Bush 

has declared that “America is addicted to oil,” and he 

called for a new Advanced Energy Initiative to 

respond to this critical situation. EERE plays an 

important role in the President’s initiative by bringing 

about commercialization opportunities for new 

technologies and enabling commercial frameworks 

to accelerate the development and deployment of 

clean energy technologies and practices. 

Working with industry, state and local governments, 

and academia, and supported by its National 

Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, 

EERE consists of ten research, development, and 

deployment programs. These programs are in two 

distinct branches of research and development — 

both of which are represented in the office’s name.

The first branch includes renewable energy sources: 

solar, hydrogen, wind, biomass, and geothermal. 

Developing America’s abundant renewable energy 

resources will decrease our dependence on foreign 

fuel and strengthen our national security. Renewable 

energy technologies also produce fewer greenhouse 

gas emissions and have less impact on the 

environment. The Solar Decathlon itself is testament 

to DOE’s ongoing efforts to make solar power a 

larger part of America’s energy portfolio.

The second branch of EERE includes technologies 

that make buildings, transportation, and appliances 

more energy efficient, and make power transmission 

more reliable. Many examples of these technologies 

are on display here at the Solar Decathlon and are 

incorporated into the homes constructed by the 

student teams. By using less energy, American 

families save on their utility bills without sacrificing 

comfort.

The work of EERE also includes weatherizing the 

homes of American families in need, supplementing 

state energy programs, and promoting energy 

efficiency in federal government facilities and 

installations.

The DOE mission lies at the cutting edge of science 

and social responsibility. By creating beneficial 

energy technologies and making use of “free” 

energy sources such as the sun, wind, and the Earth’s 

own warmth, we can provide less expensive, more 

reliable, and more abundant energy for every family 

in the United States. This is making a difference 

in the everyday lives of Americans by enhancing 

their energy choices and their quality of life.

Welcome to the Solar Decathlon and please join 

us in wishing good luck to all the competing teams. 

Tour the homes, enjoy your visit, ask questions... 

and think energy! ♦

This house, built by McStain Enterprises under the DOE Building America program, contains valueengineered floors, better insulation, tighter ducts, low-emissivity windows, and controlled ventilation to 

improve indoor air quality. It also features a solar space-heating and water-heating system. Credit: Nancy 

Wells, NREL/PIX 13551

Premier Gardens, a highly energy-efficient community in Sacramento, California, generates more than 50% 

of its own electricity using GE Brilliance Roof Integrated Solar Electric Systems. Credit: GE
Solar Decathlon 2007 31

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

The U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable 

Energy Laboratory (NREL) is pleased to be a sponsor 

of the 2007 Solar Decathlon. We welcome competitors 

from around the United States and the world who 

have come to compete in this unique and important 

competition. Sponsorship of the Solar Decathlon is a 

natural fit for NREL, America’s primary laboratory for 

renewable energy and energy efficiency research and 

development.

Our laboratory in Golden, Colorado, is home to the 

National Center for Photovoltaics, where world-class 

scientists and engineers explore new methods and 

materials for turning sunlight into electricity. Many of 

those researchers work in the Science and Technology 

Facility, which this year was designated one of the 

most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly 

places to work in the United States by the U.S. Green 

Buildings Council under its Leadership in Energy 

and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building 

program. The building is the only U.S. federal facility 

to earn a LEED platinum rating, which is the highest 

rating awarded.

Researchers in the NREL Center for Buildings and 

Thermal Systems also work in laboratory facilities that 

showcase passive solar design and energy efficiency 

features. The Thermal Test Facility, which uses only 

40% of the energy of a conventionally built laboratory, 

serves as a test bed for high-efficiency lighting, space 

conditioning, water heating, and daylighting.

NREL works to nurture a wide range of technologies 

that benefit America’s economy, national security, and 

environment. Our research portfolio extends beyond 

solar and building design into wind power, biomass 

power, biofuels, geothermal energy, hydrogen, fuel 

cells, distributed power, advanced vehicle design, 

and basic energy science.

The laboratory celebrated its 30th anniversary 

in July 2007. In those 30 years, we 

have successfully developed materials 

and technologies that have been 

instrumental in reducing the cost of 

solar electricity by more than 80%. 

In the buildings arena, NREL has 

developed software that helps 

architects design cost-effective, 

energy-efficient structures and 

technologies such as “smart” windows 

that darken in bright sunlight to help 

keep buildings cool and comfortable.

By combining energy efficiency 

with renewable energy technologies, 

we are working with the nation’s 

homebuilders to advance the concept 

of “net zero energy buildings”— 

structures that produce as much energy as they use on 

an annual basis.

NREL is an exciting place to work, with researchers 

exploring the cutting edge of energy science and 

engineering to meet one of the greatest challenges 

of our time — developing clean, affordable, secure 

sources of energy. Solar Decathletes will likewise help 

the nation shape its energy and architectural future. We 

at NREL join with our fellow Solar Decathlon sponsors 

in wishing these student teams 

continued success throughout 

the competition and in meeting 

the challenges that await them.

NREL is a U.S. Department 

of Energy laboratory managed 

by Midwest Research Institute 

of Kansas City, Missouri, and 

Battelle of Columbus, Ohio. ♦

Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman met 

several NREL summer interns at NREL’s Habitat 

for Humanity house in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. 

These interns and dozens of NREL employees 

constructed the nation’s first net zero energy 

home built for the Habitat for Humanity 

program. Credit: Jack Dempsey, NREL/PIX 14021

NREL researchers use hot-wire chemical vapor 

deposition to produce high-efficiency PV devices. 

Credit: Richard Matson, PIX14602.

The Science and Technology Facility at NREL, 

pictured below to the right of the Solar Energy 

Research Facility, was completed in 2006. 

The facility was designed to help accelerate 

the development and commercialization of 

promising new solar energy technologies. 

Credit: Patrick Corkery, NREL/PIX14765 
32 Solar Decathlon 2007

The American Institute of Architects

The American Institute of Architects (AIA), a proud 

sponsor of the Solar Decathlon since its inception, 

is honored to support academic teams representing 

universities from around the world as they design and 

build innovative applications of solar power. 

Creative problem solving is something the AIA and 

its 80,000 members know very well. For 150 years, 

AIA members have worked with each other and their 

communities to create more valuable, healthy, secure, 

and sustainable buildings and cityscapes.

The AIA seeks to dramatically increase the number of 

high-performance buildings constructed in the coming 

decades. Buildings account for an estimated 48% of 

all greenhouse emissions—compared to 27% for 

transportation. Seventy-six percent of all electricity 

generated by power plants goes toward operating buildings. 

We believe architects are uniquely positioned to 

have a profound impact on energy usage. The AIA 

has adopted a position statement calling for the 

immediate energy reduction of all new and 

renovated buildings to one-half the national 

average for that building type, with increased 

reductions of 10% every five years. By 2035, it is 

our goal that all buildings designed will be carbon 

neutral, meaning they will use no fossil fuel energy.

Through our partnership with the U.S. Department 

of Energy and its Solar Decathlon program, we 

seek to demonstrate not just the critical connection 

between building design and energy conservation, 

but also to take one hopeful step in ensuring a 

lasting legacy for future generations. ♦

Hawaii Gateway Energy Center, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

This visitor complex is designed as a thermal chimney, capturing heat and creating air 

movement using only building form and thermodynamic principles. A PV system provides all 

of the energy needed to run seawater pumps, lights, and other electrical equipment. Credit: 

Franzen Photography

Sidwell Friends Middle School, Washington, D.C.

A pre-kindergarten through 12th grade school incorporates high-efficiency lighting, 

solar ventilation chimneys, and a PV array that generates 5% of the building’s 

energy needs. Credit: Barry Halkin

Global Ecology Research Center, Stanford, California

This building at Stanford University is an extremely low-energy laboratory and 

office building for the Carnegie Institution of Washington. Proper orientation, 

exceptional daylighting, sunshading, and natural ventilation set the stage for 

innovative mechanical systems. Credit: Peter Aaron/Esto Photographics

Z6 House, Santa Monica, California

This single-family residence has no forced-air heating or cooling. The home has 

a passive cooling strategy that uses cross-ventilation and a thermal chimney. 

A 2.4-kW PV array is designed to provide up to 75% of the home’s energy needs. 

Credit: CJ Berg Photographics/Sunshine Divis Photography

The AIA/COTE (Committee 

on the Environment) Green 

Projects Awards recognize 

projects that address 

environmental challenges 

with designs that integrate 

architecture, technology, 

and natural systems. Some 

recipients of the 2007 

honors are shown here.
Solar Decathlon 2007 33

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and

Air-Conditioning Engineers

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and 

Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is proud to be 

a sponsor of the 2007 Solar Decathlon. ASHRAE isn’t 

just about “black boxes” that heat and cool facilities 

or provide refrigeration. ASHRAE is at the forefront 

of improving the technologies that make energyefficient, healthy, and comfortable buildings possible.

The principles and guidance for proper indoor air quality, 

energy efficiency, and comfort that Solar Decathlon 

participants integrate into their design efforts are from 

ASHRAE. The ability to provide a successful alternativebased living environment requires an understanding and 

proper application of ASHRAE fundamentals covering 

heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigerating.

ASHRAE’s involvement in the Solar Decathlon is a 

natural progression from the society’s long-standing role 

in energy guidance. Since being developed in response 

to the energy crisis in the 1970s, ASHRAE’s Standard 

90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise 

Residential Buildings, has influenced building designs 

worldwide. The standard has been established by the 

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as the minimum 

commercial building reference standard for state building 

energy codes under the Federal Energy Policy Act.

Standards are just one resource provided by ASHRAE to 

architects and engineers involved in sustainable design. 

We also provide guidance through our handbook series, 

educational programs, research program, and special 

publications.

But ASHRAE is dedicated to providing more than just 

minimum energy standards. We are working with DOE, 

the American Institute of Architects, the Illuminating 

Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), and 

the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to publish a 

new Advanced Energy Design Guide series. The series 

provides a simple approach for contractors and designers 

to create advanced energy savings.

ASHRAE is also working with USGBC and IESNA to 

write the nation’s first standard on sustainable building 

design. Standard 189P, Standard for the Design of 

High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise 

Residential Buildings, will become the benchmark for all 

sustainable green buildings in the United States because 

it is being developed for inclusion into building codes. 

The real impact of Standard 189P is that ASHRAE, along 

with IESNA and USGBC, are taking advanced energy 

conservation guidance mainstream for the general 

public’s benefit.

ASHRAE’s 50,000 members around the world are 

committed to economic energy-efficiency standards 

and advanced energy-efficiency guidance. We are the 

foundation of energy conservation in buildings. ♦

ASHRAE is renovating its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, as a sustainable 

building.

Former ASHRAE President Terry Townsend (on the left) served as a judge in the 2005 

Solar Decathlon.

ASHRAE provides technical and career guidance to about 5,200 student members 

worldwide. An extensive student program is held at the society’s winter meetings.
34 Solar Decathlon 2007

The National Association of Home Builders

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) 

is an enthusiastic supporter of the innovative, 

environmentally friendly ideals and building 

technologies promoted through the Solar Decathlon. 

We are also pleased to sponsor a special award — 

separate from the competition itself. 

NAHB has promoted energy-efficient building 

techniques for years. When energy prices soared in 

the late 1970s, we were the first organization to step 

forward and introduce voluntary energy guidelines for 

new residential construction. Over the next decade, the 

energy efficiency of new housing about doubled.

In January 2005, NAHB 

introduced its voluntary 

Model Green Home Building 

Guidelines to the public. In 

2006, NAHB took those 

efforts a step further by 

starting development on the 

ANSI National Green 

Building Standard. This is a 

collaborative effort of NAHB 

and the International Code 

Council. Like the guidelines, 

the National Green Building 

Standard (NGBS) is designed 

to help mainstream builders incorporate environmental 

practices into every phase of the home-building 

process while still placing a premium on affordability. 

The green building practices contained in the NGBS 

include many of the building techniques you’ll see 

in the Solar Decathlon houses on the National Mall. 

The NGBS is scheduled for publication in early 2008. 

NAHB is also in the final stages of developing the 

National Green Building Program, which aims to 

further advance mainstreaming voluntary green 

practices into the housing industry. This program 

will help communities and builders provide the 

infrastructure needed to implement the cost-effective 

NGBS practices community wide.

Although energy efficiency is a key component of 

the NGBS, we also emphasize careful lot planning 

and site design, using building resources effectively, 

conserving water, promoting healthy indoor air quality, 

and educating new homeowners on how to best use 

the green features of their new homes.

Our members — all 235,000 of them — will construct 

about 80% of the more than 1.45 million homes 

projected to be built in the United States this year. 

NAHB is committed to advancing energy-efficient 

building techniques and is excited about our 

involvement in the 2007 Solar Decathlon. ♦

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the DOE Energy Efficiency 

and Renewable Energy Office awarded Team Canada a first-place plaque for 

building the most energy-efficient house at the 2005 Solar Decathlon. Credit: 

Stefano Paltera

Built by Stitt Energy Systems of Rogers, Arkansas, winner of 15 

EnergyValue Housing Awards, this home demonstrates the builder’s 

unwavering passion for energy conservation and use of solar energy 

technology. It is the 2006 EnergyValue Housing Award gold winner 

in the Custom Home, Moderate Climate category. This home was also 

chosen as NAHB’s 2007 Green Building Project of the Year. Credit: 

NAHB Research Center.

Ferrier Custom Homes of Fort Worth, Texas, NAHB’s 2007 Green 

Builder Advocate of the Year, built this home. It won the 2007 

EnergyValue Housing Award gold award in the category of Custom 

Home and Hot Climate. Features include sustainable materials, nearzero energy consumption, and a solar water heating system. Credit: 

NAHB Research Center.
Solar Decathlon 2007 35

U.S. GreenBuildingCouncil

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is excited 

to be a first-time sponsor of the 2007 Solar Decathlon. 

With a wealth of industry experience in green building, 

the USGBC, a nonprofit organization composed of 

leaders from across the building industry, is looking 

forward to working with tomorrow’s builders, 

architects, and designers to advance the industry 

toward building environmentally responsible, profit-

able, and healthy spaces in which to live and work. 

Since its founding in 1993, USGBC has focused on 

fulfilling the building and construction industry’s 

vision for its own transformation to high-performance 

green building. Today, it includes more than 11,000 

member companies and organizations. In the past five 

years alone, USGBC’s membership has quadrupled, 

and more than 2 billion square feet of building space 

are involved with its Leadership in Energy and 

Environmental Design (LEED) program. 

The Council is as diverse as the marketplace it serves. 

Membership includes building owners and end-users, 

real estate developers, architects, engineers, students, 

and educators. Driving its mission to transform the 

built environment is the LEED Green Building Rating 

System, which is accessible online and supported 

by a robust LEED Workshop program, and the LEED 

Professional Accreditation program. USGBC supports 

a rich education and research agenda, including 

Greenbuild — the largest international conference 

and expo focused on green building. 

LEED is a voluntary building-certification program 

that defines high-performance green buildings, which 

are healthier, and more environmentally responsible 

and profitable structures. LEED addresses a variety 

of buildings and building-project types through 

individualized systems, including new construction, 

existing buildings, commercial interiors, core and 

shell, homes, and neighborhood development.

The LEED for Homes program is a voluntary rating 

system that promotes the design and construction of 

high-performance “green” homes. A green home uses 

less energy, water, and natural resources; creates less 

waste; and is healthier and more comfortable for the 

occupants. Benefits of a LEED home include lower 

energy and water bills; reduced greenhouse gas 

emissions; and less exposure to mold, mildew, and 

other indoor toxins. USGBC began the pilot test of 

the LEED for Homes program in August 2005. More 

than 400 builders representing 7,500 homes across the 

United States are participating in the pilot program, 

and more than 200 homes have been LEED certified. 

The pilot test will conclude in fall 2007, and USGBC 

will launch the LEED for Homes program rating 

system after member approval in November. 

With its commitment to increasing knowledge of, and 

expertise in, sustainable building, USGBC is proud to 

support the Solar Decathlon.♦

Credit: SpawGlass

Credit: M-Buck Studio, LLC 

Credit: Heather Ferrier 

A cornerstone of the U.S. Green 

Building Council’s mission to 

transform the built environment 

is its Leadership in Energy and 

Environmental Design program, 

which promotes and recognizes the 

development of high-performance 

green buildings such as the ones 

shown here.
36 Solar Decathlon 2007

BP

Once again, BP is proud to be a title sponsor of the 

2007 Solar Decathlon. Events such as the Solar 

Decathlon offer BP an opportunity to provide support 

to some of the finest international academic teams 

exploring today’s and tomorrow’s practical application 

of solar power. As in previous Decathlon competitions, 

BP Solar is offering the teams discounted solar 

materials and technological advice. 

As one of the world’s largest energy companies, 

BP is committed to making solar power a more 

affordable and accessible part of everyday life. With 

solar electricity being used increasingly by home and 

business owners to reduce electric bills, the designs 

created by the Solar Decathlon teams often contain 

The BP Solar manufacturing facility and international headquarters located in Frederick, Maryland, is the largest fully integrated PV 

manufacturing plant in the United States. Credit: BP

The PV system on this home in Danville, California, consists of 48 BP Solar EnergyTile 

modules that comprise a 3.1-kW system. This home is part of the Ponderosa 

community. Credit: BP

many economical options for today’s marketplace. 

Already throughout Europe and the Americas, BP 

Solar offers a clean energy option to supplement 

or replace utility power.

In late 2005, BP launched BP Alternative Energy, a 

low-carbon power business focusing on solar, wind, 

hydrogen power, and gas-fired power. BP Solar, 

which has been in business for more than 30 years, 

is a key business within BP Alternative Energy and 

a global company with more than 2,200 employees 

focused on harnessing the sun’s energy to produce 

solar electricity. BP Solar leads the industry by 

providing progressively efficient and cost-effective 

solar electric systems to international markets. This 

includes the design, manufacture, and marketing 

of quality solar electric systems for a wide range 

of applications in the residential, commercial, and 

industrial sectors. 

BP Solar is one of the world’s largest solar companies 

and has manufacturing facilities in the United States, 

Spain, India, and Australia. In remote areas such as 

the Philippines, BP Solar is bringing solar power to 

more than 400,000 residents in 150 remote villages. 

In the United States, in partnership with the Enterprise 

Foundation and the Environmental Media Association, 

the BP Solar Neighbors program provides solar electric 

systems to low-income families in Southern California 

whenever a celebrity purchases a solar system. 

These activities, together with our involvement in the 

Solar Decathlon, exemplify the values that drive BP — 

innovation, high-quality performance, a progressive 

and better way of doing things, and a commitment to 

environmental and community leadership. We invest 

in science, education, and technology to help achieve 

a sustainable future and brighter tomorrow. ♦
Solar Decathlon 2007 37

Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel is honored and excited to be a part of the 

2007 Solar Decathlon by providing secure high-speed, 

wireless Internet access to the teams competing. The 

innovation demonstrated by teams participating in the 

Solar Decathlon taps into another important goal of 

ours — preserving the environment. From researching 

renewable power to recycling used cell phones, Sprint 

Nextel demonstrates its commitment to the 

environment everyday. 

In our daily business activities, we actively pursue the 

use of renewable power technologies to better serve 

our customers. Telecommunications facilities rely 

heavily on commercial power to run their networks. 

However, overhead utility lines and outdoor 

substations are subject to both human and natural 

forces (such as tornadoes and lightning) that can shut 

down telecommunications. For this reason, back-up 

power sources are needed. The most commonly used 

forms of back-up power, such as lead-acid batteries 

and diesel generators, have drawbacks — noise, 

leakage, or polluting exhaust.

Sprint Nextel has researched several alternative 

power technologies that provide many benefits to the 

environment, including significantly reduced noise 

levels and pollutants. For example, one of these 

technologies, fuel cells, releases no pollutants. The 

fuel cell’s only exhaust is drinkable water, which 

is endorsed by the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency. Solar power is also 

being field-trialed at small communication 

sites as a way to reduce utility costs by 

minimizing grid usage during daylight 

hours.

Sprint Nextel is interested in alternative 

power technologies because they provide 

benefits to the environment and can be 

combined with other technologies to 

improve the performance of our network, 

which means more reliable service for our 

customers. As we continue to provide new 

and enhanced wireless applications and 

services, uninterrupted telecom service — 

both on cell phones and for wireless 

Internet access — becomes even more 

critical. At Sprint, our goal is to provide 

the best quality network through the use 

of cleaner, more efficient technology.

Sprint Wireless Recycling

Wireless recycling is an important part of Sprint 

Nextel’s environmental commitment. In 2001, we 

created Sprint Project Connect, a wireless-phone 

recycling program that has prevented millions of 

phones from ending up in landfills.

Sprint Project Connect accepts all makes and models 

of phones, regardless of service provider. To recycle 

your phone, pick up a postage-paid envelope at any 

participating Sprint store nationwide. Or, print the 

postage-paid mailing label available on the Project 

Connect Web site (www.sprint.com/citizenship/

communities_across/project_connect.html).

Since 2001, Sprint has collected nearly 7 million 

used wireless phones and kept those phones out of the 

waste stream through Sprint Project Connect and other 

separate equipment collection efforts such as Sprint 

Buyback, a program that gives Sprint customers 

account credit for returning eligible, no-longer-used 

phones. The phones are either recycled or refurbished 

and resold.

Net proceeds from Sprint Project Connect go to benefit 

kindergarten through 12th-grade education programs. 

Since its inception, the project has raised more than 

$3 million for charitable programs. ♦

Sprint Nextel provided the 2005 Solar Decathlon homes with high-speed, wireless Internet access and 

is doing the same for the 2007 Decathlon. Credit: Stefano Paltera
38 Solar Decathlon 2007

Blue Egg

Blue Egg is an e-media company that celebrates 

attainable sustainable living. Through our Web sites, 

we provide clear, credible information and practical 

solutions to help people become more mindful of the 

environment — without suggesting they surrender 

style, comfort, and convenience, and without asking 

them to spend a lot of extra cash. We support and 

applaud the 2007 Solar Decathletes and the important 

work they are doing. We are honored to be part of this 

international event that delivers a clear message of 

hope and virtually unlimited possibilities for today 

and tomorrow.

Blue Egg’s Web sites offer solid information, vital 

context, and straightforward advice from a variety of 

experts. Our unique online tools can help everyone, 

from newbie to eco-veteran, discover new ways to 

Honeywell

Honeywell is proud to be part of the 2007 Solar 

Decathlon competition and supports its goal of 

building and operating the most attractive and 

energy-efficient solar-powered home. This unique 

international event is aligned with Honeywell’s own 

mission, which includes building a world that is more 

comfortable and energy efficient. 

As a first-time supporting sponsor, Honeywell is 

offering participants its non-ozone-depleting blowing 

agent used in foam insulation, as well as touchscreen 

programmable thermostats and other comfort controls 

and technologies. All of these play an important role in 

improving energy efficiency and lowering heating and 

cooling costs for homeowners worldwide. 

Honeywell’s Enovate blowing agent is the main factor 

in determining insulation performance, or R-value, in 

closed-cell polyurethane spray foam insulation used in 

walls and roofing. This energy-efficient technology, 

used for many years to help appliances achieve 

ENERGY STAR ratings, is rapidly being adopted to 

insulate homes, as well as in novel applications such as 

insulating solar water heaters in China and hurricaneproofing commercial facilities such as the Louisiana 

Superdome.

As part of its sponsorship, Honeywell also is providing 

shirts, jackets, and accessories for organizers, 

volunteers, students, and other personnel who will 

gather at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

As demand for energy continues to rise, Honeywell is 

committed to helping homeowners maximize energy 

efficiency and reduce heating and cooling costs. We at 

Honeywell wish all participants the best of luck in the 

2007 Solar Decathlon. ♦

www.honeywell.com

With each Solar Decathlon, the list of sponsors 

wanting to participate and contribute has 

grown. A strong motivation is the desire to 

create a better world for children such as these, 

who visited the Decathlon in 2005. 

live without taking a toll on the planet. Blue Egg’s 

first site, Green Building Blocks, was launched in 

November 2006; it is already the largest online resource 

for residential green building and remodeling. Green 

Building Blocks features more than 1,500 environmentally friendly products, a national directory of 

2,900 green-building professionals, case studies, howtos, and much more. Blue Egg built upon the Green 

Building Blocks Web site to create the Solar Decathlon 

product directory, which lists the products used by the 

Decathletes in their projects. We encourage you to meet 

the teams, experience their houses, and visit the product 

directory to learn first-hand what you can do to live 

more sustainably. ♦

www.blueegg.com

www.greenbuildingblocks.com
Solar Decathlon 2007 39

Thanks to So Many

The Solar Decathlon would not be possible without the generous support of so many people. We are grateful 

to the sponsors listed in the preceding pages — and to those listed below. We also acknowledge the volunteers, 

technical experts, and in-kind contributors whose support is vital to making the Solar Decathlon an enriching 

experience for the teams and spectators alike. 

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

www.usda.gov

The USDA supports the goals of the Solar Decathlon 

and is pleased to be participating in the event. 

Midwest Research Institute (MRI)

www.mriresearch.org

MRI is generously sponsoring the Victory Reception at 

the end of the Solar Decathlon, which gives the student 

competitors a chance to celebrate their achievements 

and applaud each other. 

International Code Council (ICC)

www.iccsafe.org

ICC generously discounted 22 copies of the 2006 

International Codes on CD Complete Collection.

The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA)

www.nfpa.org

NFPA donated 22 CD-ROMs of the 2005 National 

Electric Code Handbook for use by Solar Decathlon 

teams and organizers.

CertainTeed Corporation

www.certainteed.com

CertainTeed is sponsoring a lunch during the 

Decathlon for all of the student competitors.

HON

www.hon.com

HON is providing furniture for the main tent, the team 

lounge, and several teams. 

Orange Element Design

www.orange-element.com

Orange Element helped to develop and is hosting the 

MySpace page for the Decathlon competitors. 

Owens Corning

www.owenscorning.com

Owens Corning sponsored printing of the Energy 

Savers booklet, which is being distributed to the public. 

Reluminati

www.reluminati.com

Reluminati is providing a renewable power source for 

the Anatomy of a House exhibit.

Texas Instruments (TI)

www.ti.com

TI is sponsoring the work of Jim Tetro, a photographer 

who is taking architectural-style photos of all the team 

houses for use by Decathlon organizers and sponsors.

Xantrex

www.xantrex.com

Xantrex is providing a lunch for the Decathlon 

competitors.

Solar Decathlon Web Links 

Solar Decathlon Blog

eere.typepad.com/solar_decathlon

This site gives you the visitor — and the competitors, 

organizers, and sponsors — an opportunity to post 

comments and insights about the Solar Decathlon. It 

also features a journal by Richard King, the director 

of the competition, with on-the-scene coverage of the 

daily happenings during the 2007 Solar Decathlon.

Solar Decathlon MySpace Page

www.myspace.com/solardecathlon07

Here’s another chance to post comments or just 

to read what others have to say. The page also has 

links to information and resources on topics such 

as sustainable building practices and solar energy 

incentives and tax credits. 

Solar Decathlon Product Directory

www.greenbuildingblocks.com/solar_decathlon.go 

Want to know where the competitors get the products 

you see in their houses? Visit this page to find out 

about the solar technologies, appliances, windows, 

lighting, and many other products used in the 

Decathlon houses. 
Produced for the U.S. Department of Energy by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a DOE national laboratory

DOE/GO-102007-2459 • September 2007

Printed with a renewable-source ink on paper containing at least 50% wastepaper, including 10% postconsumer waste.

For More Information

DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Information about all renewable and energy 

efficiency technologies.

www.eere.energy.gov

EERE Information Center

Answers questions on EERE products, 

services, and 11 technology programs.

www.eere.energy.gov/informationcenter

DOE Solar Energy Technologies Program

Covers photovoltaics, solar heating and lighting, 

and concentrating solar power.

www.eere.energy.gov/solar

DOE Building Technologies Program

Covers high-performance buildings and other solar 

building technologies.

www.eere.energy.gov/buildings 

A Consumers Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Invites users to explore options for saving energy 

and using renewable energy at home, at work, in 

the community, and while driving.

www.eere.energy.gov/consumer

ENERGY STAR

Contains home-improvement tips and a locator map 

for purchasing ENERGY-STAR labeled products.

www.energystar.gov 

Visit Our Title Sponsors on the Web

Find Solar

Has loads of information on solar topics, 

including how to find a solar energy 

professional.

findsolar.com

Solar Decathlon Product Directory

Contains information about the products used 

in the Solar Decathlon houses.

www.greenbuildingblocks.com/solar_

decathlon.go 

Efficient Windows

A primer on windows and a guide to selecting 

energy-efficient windows for specific regions.

www.efficientwindows.org 

Photovoltaics

An introduction to photovoltaics, also called 

PV or solar electricity, with a section for 

consumers.

www.eere.energy.gov/solar/photovoltaics.html 

Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy

Includes a guide to state, local, utility, and 

selected federal incentives that promote 

renewable energy.

www.dsireusa.org

State Energy Alternatives

Contains state-specific information, including 

incentives for renewable energy technologies.

www.eere.energy.gov/states/alternatives

For daily updates and 

photos, feature stories, 

general information, 

and competition 

results, visit the Solar 

Decathlon Web site at

www.solardecathlon.org

National Association of Home Builders

www.nahb.org

U.S. Green Building Council

www.usgbc.org

BP

www.bp.com or www.bpsolar.com

Sprint Nextel 

www.sprint.com

U.S. Department of Energy

www.energy.gov

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

www.nrel.gov

American Institute of Architects

www.aia.org

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and 

Air-Conditioning Engineers

www.ashrae.org