The Solar Decathlon originally began as a U.S.-American competition in which 14 teams of college and university students competed in 10 contests that focused on the teams’ abilities to design and build energy-efficient, solar-powered homes. It has since expanded to include international participation in North America and other continents, garnering global attention in press coverage and online media.
The fifth U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon saw 19 teams from colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Belgium, and China compete for the title in designing, building, and operating the most attractive, energy-efficient, solar-powered house.
