The Mall Lets the Light In: Solar Decathlon

| Print Post This | Like (0) | Comments (0)

THE NATIONAL MALL has become a neighborhood of futuristic houses, at least for this weekend. It's playing host to the Solar Decathlon, in which 20 university teams from around the world bring solar-powered houses to the Mall to be judged.

Teams spend two years designing and building their structures. The Department of Energy gives research grants to the top 20 teams, which then compete (this weekend concludes the judging) in 10 categories including architecture, market viability, energy use and comfort level.

Real inventions and innovations come out of the contest. This year, Team Ontario is patenting an aluminum frame that holds up three layers of glass that conduct sunlight. Team California uses bamboo to make I-beam support posts for its house.

"You've got innovation and you've got a lot of off-the-shelf technology that people can use right now," said decathlon director Richard King. After the contest, the houses will be sold to families or used as model homes.

No two houses are alike. "[The teams] come from all over the world, so there are cultural differences," said King. "A house from Alberta is very concerned with insulation and keeping heat within the house, but Puerto Rico is more concerned with air conditioning throughout the year. With differences like that, you bring them all together and you get a variety of design approaches and innovation."

» National Mall, through Sun., Oct. 18, 10 a.m-5 p.m.. (Smithsonian)

Written by Express contributor Jason Koebler
Photo courtesy Stefano Paltera