Solar Decathlon

Solar-Powered Brazilian Ekó House is a Modular Smart Home with a Composting Toilet

Solar-Powered Brazilian Ekó House is a Modular Smart Home with a Composting Toilet

Constructed out of pre-stressed wood panels, the Ekó House from Brazil has a modular veranda system that not only respects the Brazilian tradition of having both private and open spaces, but also

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ECOLAR: Germany’s Modular European Solar Decathlon House has a Rooftop Power Plant

ECOLAR: Germany’s Modular European Solar Decathlon House has a Rooftop Power Plant

Even though ECOLAR is a veritable solar powerhouse, that hasn't prevented the team from Germany from maximizing the home's energy efficiency. Why waste energy, even if it is renewable, right? Enriched

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Inhabitat is Looking for Photographers for the 2012 European Solar Decathlon in Madrid!

Inhabitat is Looking for Photographers for the 2012 European Solar Decathlon in Madrid!

Calling All Europe-Based Photographers! Are you a shutter bug with a passion for architecture located in or around Madrid, Spain? Inhabitat is looking for a couple of on-scene photographers to snap

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Living Light Solar Decathlon House Soaks Up the Summer Sun at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Living Light Solar Decathlon House Soaks Up the Summer Sun at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival

The completely self-sustaining home uses passive building techniques and automatic controls to produce its energy needs. As the sun rises, shades are automatically raised to let daylight into the space.

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Electric Utility To Buy University of Maryland’s Solar Decathlon-Winning WaterShed House

Electric Utility To Buy University of Maryland’s Solar Decathlon-Winning WaterShed House

In October, WaterShed took top honors at the 2011 Solar Decathlon, a bi-annual design competition hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy. The design was largely inspired by the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem

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U.S. Department of Energy Announces the 2013 Solar Decathlon is Coming to California!

U.S. Department of Energy Announces the 2013 Solar Decathlon is Coming to California!

The U.S. Department of Energy has just announced the location of the 2013 Solar Decathlon - as well as the 20 lucky teams who will be competing for green design glory! After being kicked off the National

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6 Uber Cool Passivhaus Designs From Around the World!

6 Uber Cool Passivhaus Designs From Around the World!

Stunning FabLab Passive House at Europe’s Solar Decathlon Chalkboard-Skinned Belgian Passivhaus is a Playground for Kids JustK PassivHaus In Germany Is a Fab Prefab Wooden Tower Awe-Inspiring

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Solar Decathlon Kicked Off National Mall Again, Seeks New Venue

Solar Decathlon Kicked Off National Mall Again, Seeks New Venue

One of our favorite events in the world of sustainable innovation, the Solar Decathlon, is again being kicked off the National Mall. In January of this year, the National Park Service temporarily banned

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VIDEO: Announcing the Winner of the 2011 Solar Decathlon

VIDEO: Announcing the Winner of the 2011 Solar Decathlon

If you're anything like us, you've been having Solar Decathlon withdrawal since the biennial design-build competition ended at the beginning of the month. We're still buzzing with excitement from the

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Team Florida’s Solar Decathlon FLeX House Harnesses Passive Design to Keep its Cool in Hot Climates

Team Florida’s Solar Decathlon FLeX House Harnesses Passive Design to Keep its Cool in Hot Climates

The FLeX House is a carefully considered design for hot, humid climates that creates a comfortable, efficient interior environment through the use of photovoltaics, passive design, and shading techniques.

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Florida International’s perFORM[D]ance Solar Decathlon House Responds to Its Environment

Florida International’s perFORM[D]ance Solar Decathlon House Responds to Its Environment

The moving perFORM[D]ance House has a futuristic design, inspired by Paul Rudolph’s Cocoon House. Floor to ceiling windows line the perimeter of the home, which bring natural lighting into every room.

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Team Belgium’s E-Cube 2011 Solar Decathlon House is a DIY Modular Kit-Home

Team Belgium’s E-Cube 2011 Solar Decathlon House is a DIY Modular Kit-Home

Through their various decisions, the 40-member team from Ghent University constantly stressed affordability and efficiency. The house begins with a starter unit that, and according to the buyer’s time

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Affordable Re_Home is Prepped for Natural Disaster Recovery

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Affordable Re_Home is Prepped for Natural Disaster Recovery

This year, a strong focus was placed on affordability and Team Illinois worked hard to minimize costs where possible through the use of materials. They estimate the final cost of the Re_home, which

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Team Purdue’s Suburban INhome Takes 2nd Place in the 2011 Solar Decathlon!

Team Purdue’s Suburban INhome Takes 2nd Place in the 2011 Solar Decathlon!

We're thrilled to announce that this weekend Team Purdue took second place in the 2011 Solar Decathlon! Purdue's sensible, suburban-style INhome received top marks throughout the competition due to its

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Team Massachusetts’ 4D Solar Decathlon Home is a 21st-Century Take on the Gable House

Team Massachusetts’ 4D Solar Decathlon Home is a 21st-Century Take on the Gable House

The 4D Home beautifully blends traditional architecture with modern building techniques to create an exceptionally efficient off-grid home that can produce more energy than it consumes. The heart of the

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Team Maryland Wins the Architecture Contest at the 2011 Solar Decathlon

Team Maryland Wins the Architecture Contest at the 2011 Solar Decathlon

The WaterShed Solar Decathlon house, built by students from the University of Maryland, has taken first place in the design-build competition's architecture category! And we are not surprised. Ever since

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20 Stunning Energy-Efficient Homes in the 2011 Solar Decathlon!

20 Stunning Energy-Efficient Homes in the 2011 Solar Decathlon!

The 2011 Solar Decathlon is heating up as 20 teams of students from around the world construct stunning, energy-efficient homes at the National Mall’s West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C. The

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Appalachian State’s Solar Homestead Brings Adaptability and Independent Living to the 2011 Solar Decathlon

Appalachian State’s Solar Homestead Brings Adaptability and Independent Living to the 2011 Solar Decathlon

A limited budget has made adaptability a top theme this year and The Solar Homestead exemplifies this facet of sustainable design better than most.  A half-bath, outdoor shower and outdoor kitchen can be

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Empowerhouse Takes First Place in Affordability at the 2011 Solar Decathlon!

Empowerhouse Takes First Place in Affordability at the 2011 Solar Decathlon!

One of the most common arguments against building energy-efficient homes is that the upfront costs are just too high, but this year's Solar Decathlon competition is telling another story. For the first

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Vote For Your Favorite House in the 2011 Solar Decathlon!

Vote For Your Favorite House in the 2011 Solar Decathlon!

The DOE & the Solar Decathlon are also running their own People's Choice Award for the first time ever, so you should definitely go check it out and vote! Read on for a look at each of these amazing

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Team Canada’s TRTL Solar Decathlon House is a Modern Take on a Native American Home

Team Canada’s TRTL Solar Decathlon House is a Modern Take on a Native American Home

Building on the importance of family and community gathering, the open plan TRTL house features a flexible dining and living area that fosters family relationships. The two bedroom home can be assembled

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Team New Zealand’s First Light House Wins the Engineering Contest at the 2011 Solar Decathlon

Team New Zealand’s First Light House Wins the Engineering Contest at the 2011 Solar Decathlon

We've been sitting on the edges of our seats all day, anxiously awaiting today's Engineering Contest results at the 2011 Solar Decathlon. The results were just announced, and we're happy to report that

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University of Maryland’s WaterShed Solar Decathlon House Takes First Place In Architecture!

University of Maryland’s WaterShed Solar Decathlon House Takes First Place In Architecture!

Before one even enters the Watershed house the lush green native landscaping and natural siding stand out. The University of Maryland architecture students made a conscious effort to source local plants

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Tidewater Virginia’s Unit 6 Unplugged Solar Decathlon House Embraces History and Tradition

Tidewater Virginia’s Unit 6 Unplugged Solar Decathlon House Embraces History and Tradition

The furniture in the Unit 6 Unplugged house reflects the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement, which originated in England in the late 19th century and was spread worldwide by architects and

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New Zealand’s First Light Solar Decathlon House Puts an Innovative Twist on the Basics

New Zealand’s First Light Solar Decathlon House Puts an Innovative Twist on the Basics

Several unique features set the house apart from the rest. Inspired by the traditional New Zealand holiday home, the “Kiwi bach”, socializing and a relationship with nature were of prime importance in

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PHOTOS: Solar Decathlon Opens in Washington DC

PHOTOS: Solar Decathlon Opens in Washington DC

Sixteen of the teams are from American colleges and universities, with the other four teams coming from China, Canada, New Zealand, and Belgium. The InhabitatNYC team is particularly excited because three

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