Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® publicly announced the 63 Finalist Teams for the 2021 Design Challenge. CU Denver CAP architecture master's students, Justin Trammel and Ryan Couto, created a concept alongside a team of a handful of engineering students from CU Boulder. 

Next date: 

• April 15–18, 2021—Finalist teams compete with presentations to industry leaders.

DESIGN CHALLENGE

Teams competing in the Solar Decathlon Design Challenge work for one or two academic semesters. Participants prepare creative solutions for real-world issues in the building industry.

Qualifying teams complete a design project and attend Solar Decathlon Design Challenge Weekend, where they present their designs to a panel of industry expert jurors, compare their projects to those of other teams, learn from presentations by thought leaders and collegiate peers, and engage with a variety of organizations about energy careers. Winning teams are recognized at an Awards Banquet, and winning Project Presentations are published on the website. The competition and winners are promoted through a variety of media outreach efforts, which provide participants and their collegiate institutions an opportunity for national exposure.

Collegiate institutions that participate in the challenge are recognized as leaders who are producing career-ready professionals with cutting-edge skills. Industry partners who collaborate with teams gain national and local recognition and have the opportunity to interact with knowledgeable future design and construction professionals.

Spread the word about your team’s accomplishments so far! Be sure to tag Solar Decathlon using #SolarDecathlon or #SolarDecathlonDesign. Don’t forget to link to the official public announcement of Finalist Teams on the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) website.

About the Solar Decathlon

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is a collegiate competition that challenges student teams to design and build highly efficient and innovative buildings powered by renewable energy. The Design Challenge is a one-to-two-semester, design-only competition, while the Build Challenge is a two-year design-build competition.

Funded by the Building Technologies Office, Solar Decathlon continues to push the envelope on the design of high-performance, efficient, affordable, innovative buildings while promoting student innovation, STEM education, and workforce development opportunities in the buildings industry.

Buildings account for 74% of electricity use, 39% of total energy use, and 35% of carbon emissions in the United States. Solar Decathlon supports a key element of our nation’s strategy for tackling climate challenges while creating jobs to build modern, sustainable infrastructure and to deliver an equitable clean energy future.

Additional details are available on the Solar Decathlon website.