Image Credit: Stefano Paltera/U.S. Department of Energy

September 26, 2011

19 colleges and universities are competing to design and build the most energy efficient and attractive solar-powered home. Home designs entered in the Solar Decathlon competition must be able to produce as much energy as they use. This year’s contest emphasizes the importance of affordability. The homes are on display at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. where visitors can get an inside look at the innovative designs and get energy saving ideas for their own homes.

One of the entries this year is from the Southern California Institute of Architecture and Caltech. The home’s rooftop solar panels provide enough energy to power the home throughout the year. The solar panels also power an Xbox Kinect motion-sensitive video game that allows homeowners to turn lights and appliances on and off by simply pointing at them. A 3-D camera can also sense where homeowners are in the house and automatically turn lights on and off as they move through the home.

The Solar Decathlon is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and takes place every two years. This year’s competition is being held from now until October 2nd. The goal of the competition is to educate students and the public about how clean energy products can save money and energy. It also gives student unique training to prepare them for the clean-energy workforce.