WSU Solar Decathlon team getting underway

About the event

Washington State University students from all disciplines are invited to participate in a kick-off meeting for the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2017 Solar Decathlon competition to design and build a net-zero, solar house.

The meeting will be Wednesday, April 20 at 5 p.m. in ETRL 101 on the Pullman campus. Students can also attend the meeting remotely in CIC 125T on the WSU Tri-Cities campus.

WSU is one of 16 universities from across the world and the only one from the Pacific Northwest that is participating in the competition. It aims to increase public awareness of solar energy and to inspire innovative solutions in ecological design. The contest includes $2 million in prize money.

The students will design and build the home over the next 18 months and then transport it to Denver in fall of 2017. There they will share the project with the public and compete with other universities in ten contests. They include architecture, engineering, innovation, communication, health and comfort, market potential, appliances, energy balance, water, and home life.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for students to apply the skills and knowledge they are learning toward a real project,’’ said Darrin Griechen, clinical associate professor in the School of Design and Construction, is leading the effort for WSU.

For additional information and to join the team, https://solardec.wsu.edu/.