Solar Decathlon Team Starts Construction for International Competition

The reused wood siding is a mixture of poplar and red oak from a barn in Chillicothe, Ohio.

A student team at Ohio State’ College of Engineering has moved from the planning phase to construction in preparation for the 2009 Solar Decathlon, an international, U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored competition to design, build and operate a fully solar-powered home.

The prestigious competition involves 20 university-led teams in the two-year contest, which culminates Oct. 9-18 when the solar homes will be shipped to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for display and final judging.

Construction on the house started this winter and will be completed in August, with final testing and preparations concluding in September. Ohio State’ Solar Decathlon team includes more than 60 students from various departments of the College of Engineering and the Knowlton School of Architecture as well as from other departments, including political science, construction systems management and environmental and natural resources.

View the team’ construction progress at http://solardecathlon.osu.edu/site/content/news-and-events. For more information about the Solar Decathlon, visit www.solardecathlon.org.