solar decathlon

11.23.09

20 Teams Build High-Tech Houses in "Solar Village" Competition

The National Mall was transformed into a futuristic commune for the past two weeks as 20 teams from four countries erected solar-powered homes

By Rebecca Boyle Posted 10.16.2009 at 11:54 am 7 Comments

The bright future of green living has been on display for the past two weeks at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., during the Department of Energy's 2009 Solar Decathlon. The biennial contest, which wraps up this weekend, brings hundreds of university students from around the world to a temporary solar village for two weeks, where spectators can walk through student-designed houses and marvel at the latest green tech.

These solar homes have it all, including things that aren't commercially available yet -- like self-activating curled-metal shades; walls made of plants, both living and recycled; and roofs that tilt at the sun, making them efficient sun-catchers from Phoenix to Fargo. Worried about efficiency while you're away? How about an iPhone app that controls your entire house?

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