This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.
October 13, 2009
Team California is Tops in Communications at DOE's Solar Decathlon
Team California snagged the top spot in the Communications contest on October 13 at DOE's Solar Decathlon. The challenge is the third out of ten contests that make up the international student competition taking place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Team California—consisting of students from Santa Clara University and the California College of the Arts—impressed jurors with communications strategies, promotional materials, and people skills while conveying the technical aspects of household solar energy systems to the public Team California was followed by Cornell University and Team Ontario/BC, which tied for second place. For the Communications contest, teams earned points based on a number of subjective criteria, including audience analysis, quality and inventiveness of Web site content, presentation of visual aids, and memorable branding.
Twenty university-led teams from the United States, Canada, Germany, and Spain are competing in DOE's fourth Solar Decathlon to design, build, and operate houses powered by the sun. Teams are competing in ten contests that evaluate them and their homes in terms of architecture, engineering, market viability, communications, comfort, and energy performance. The homes must provide power and hot water for everyday needs, including cooking meals, taking showers, and doing laundry, as well as running appliances, a home office, and a home entertainment system. An overall winner of the competition will be announced on October 16. The Decathlon is open to the public through Sunday, October 18, with the exception of Wednesday, October 14. For full event information, current standings, high-resolution photos and video, an event schedule, and daily results, visit the Solar Decathlon Web site. See the DOE press release.
