CU-Boulder Students Go For Third Solar Decathlon Win

University of Colorado at Boulder students are going after their third consecutive Solar Decathlon championship this month in Washington, D.C.  The event, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, runs from Oct. 12 to Oct. 20 on the National Mall.

The CU-Boulder team is the defending champion, having won the first-place trophy in both previous competitions held in 2002 and 2005.

Students from 20 universities in the United States, Canada and Europe are competing to design, build and operate the most attractive, efficient and comfortable solar home, while educating the public about the use of alternative energy technologies.  Points are awarded in 10 contests including architecture, engineering, market viability and communications, with the team winning the most points being declared the overall winner.

The project is a two-year effort involving about 30 engineering and architecture students.  Professor Michael Brandemuehl of civil, environmental and architectural engineering is the team’s faculty adviser, and Xcel Energy is the primary sponsor.

CU-Boulder News Releases on 2007 Solar Decathlon

• CU-Boulder Solar Decathlon Team Takes Third Place In Engineering, Seventh Overall, Oct. 19, 2007
• CU-Boulder Students Get Ready to Send Solar Home to Washington, D.C., for Third Solar Decathlon – Sept. 20, 2007
• CU’s Two-Time Solar Decathlon Champs to Install Photovoltaic System – July 31, 2007
• Xcel Energy Sponsors CU-Boulder Solar Decathlon Team with Pre-purchase of Solar Home – March 13, 2007
  

Media & Photos

• Video: Solar Decathlon reigning champs look for repeat (CNET.com)
• Video: Solar Home Decathlon (CNN.com)
• Houses of the Sun (Chronicle.com)

2005 CU Solar Decathlon Entry & Results
http://www.solardecathlon.org/2005/team_colorado.html

2002 CU Solar Decathlon Entry & Results
http://www.solardecathlon.org/2002/team_colorado.html