Biennially since 2002, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has held the solar decathlon, a competition between 20 university teams from around the world that design, construct and operate homes that are affordable, energy efficient and attractive.
The finalists for the competition were recently announced. Among them is Team New Jersey, a collaboration of faculty members and students from Rutgers University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. It is the first trip to the finals for Team New Jersey and yesterday at Civic Square Building in New Brunswick, New Jersey, State Senator Robert Menendez recognized Team New Jersey and its project, “eNJoy: A Generation House.” The team will next travel to Washington D.C. for the finals.
A look at the front of “eNJoy: A Generation House”
The home is concrete, making it durable. It’s been described as a “passive solar house,” meaning the sun’s heat enters the home in its natural state of solar radiation by way of the roof and is used for both heating and light. This means there’s no need for fans or pumps to maintain a comfortable temperature. Additionally, Team New Jersey built the roof in the shape of an inverted hip for optimal solar exposure and rainwater collection.
The 20 finalists are chosen after schools submit proposals to be reviewed by renewable energy experts from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, American Institute of Architects, National Association of Home Builders, the U.S. Green Building Council, and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers. After the competition, the homes are on display for the public free of charge and are usually used as energy research labs.
Here is a list of Solar Decathlon Accomplishments since the 2002 inaugural competition:
- Involved 92 collegiate teams, which pursued multidisciplinary course curricula to study the requirements for designing and building energy-efficient, solar-powered houses
- Established a worldwide reputation as a successful educational program and workforce development opportunity for thousands of students
- Affected the lives of 15,000 collegiate participants
- Expanded its outreach to K–12 students by inviting schools in the Washington, D.C., area to visit on class tours.
Check out images of the 2009 Solar Decathalon.
