Solar Decathlon 2017 Teams Arrive at New Site in Denver; Begin Assembling Student-Designed, Solar Houses

Chance to Capture Advance Interviews, Great Visuals before Competition Starts


DENVER, CO, Sept. 23, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Collegiate teams involving hundreds of students from the United States and Europe arrived today at the new site of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2017, which is being held for the first time in Denver, Colorado. These motivated students began assembling their highly energy-efficient, solar houses this morning at 8 a.m. and will spend the next nine days completing their one-of-a-kind houses. This intense assembly phase is a sprint as teams get ready for an exclusive media sneak peek on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 10 a.m. and for opening day on Thursday, Oct. 5, when Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette plans to cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony beginning at 9:30 a.m. The competition challenges student teams to compete in 10 contests that gauge each house’s performance, livability and market potential. An overall winner will be announced on Oct. 14.

 

WHO:         Participating collegiate teams in the 2017 competition span three countries across two continents, including teams from the United States, Netherlands and Switzerland—and feature

                  one team with a Colorado university: University of California, Berkeley / University of Denver

                  See below for full team listings.

 

WHAT:      House Assembly: See teams assembling their houses for competition and public exhibit

                 Interview Opportunities: Get early access to students and Solar Decathlon Director Linda Silverman

                 B-Roll and Photo Opportunities: Capture compelling video and photos of student teams assembling energy-efficient, solar houses

                Background Information: Visit our online media resources section and download our online media kit

WHEN:       House Assembly:*

  • Monday, September 25 – October 3 (varying phases of house assembly)

                  *Advance coordination, including personal protective equipment, is required to visit during the assembly phase. Please see RSVP details below to make arrangements.  

 

                  Media Preview Day:

  • Wednesday, October 4 at 10 a.m. (capture house footage and interview teams)

 

WHERE:     61st & Peña Station on the University of Colorado A line commuter rail connecting Denver International

                 Airport to downtown Union Station – view directions

 

RSVP:        Media wishing to attend should RSVP by contacting Eric Escudero, media relations contact at the U.S. Department of Energy, at Eric.Escudero@ee.doe.gov or (720) 356-1534. Advance coordination is                            required to visit during the assembly phase.

 

Solar Decathlon 2017 teams competing in Denver, Colorado

 

  • Las Vegas: University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • Maryland: University of Maryland (College Park, Maryland)
  • Missouri S&T: Missouri University of Science and Technology (Rolla, Missouri)
  • Netherlands: HU University of Applied Science Utrecht (Utrecht, Netherlands)
  • Northwestern: Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois)
  • Swiss Team: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, School of Engineering and Architecture Fribourg, Geneva University of Art and Design, and the University of Fribourg (Lausanne, Switzerland)
  • Team Alabama: University of Alabama at Birmingham and Calhoun Community College (Birmingham, Alabama)
  • Team Daytona Beach: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Daytona State College (Daytona Beach, Florida)
  • UC Berkeley/U of Denver: University of California at Berkeley and University of Denver (Berkeley, California)
  • UC Davis: University of California, Davis (Davis, California)
  • Wash U – St. Louis: Washington University (St. Louis, Missouri)
 

The student-built houses will open to the public for free tours October 5-8 and October 12-15 from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. and October 9 from 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. The overall winner will be announced on Saturday, October 14 at 9:30 a.m. Ride the University of Colorado A line light rail to the event site at the 61st and Peña station (6045 N. Richfield St.) near Denver International Airport. Free public parking is also available during the event (directions and a map). For full event information, current standings, high-resolution photos, and videos, visit www.SolarDecathlon.gov. You may also follow the competition in real time on Facebook at Facebook.com/DOESolarDecathlon and Twitter at @Solar_Decathlon. Photos are also available on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solar_decathlon/.

 

More about the Solar Decathlon

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is a collegiate competition made up of 10 contests that challenge student teams to design and build full-size, solar-powered houses. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends design excellence and smart energy production with innovation, market potential, and energy and water efficiency. Competing students gain hands-on experience and unique training that prepares them to enter the energy workforce. Solar Decathlon is more than a student competition. It’s an intensive learning experience for consumers and homeowners as they experience the latest technologies and materials in energy-efficient design, innovative energy technologies, smart home solutions, water conservation measures, electric vehicles, and sustainable buildings.

 

Solar Decathlon 2017 is made possible by a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and Energetics Incorporated, with the generous support of the Solar Decathlon 2017 Supporting sponsors, Wells Fargo, the City and County of Denver, and Denver International Airport (DEN), and Solar Decathlon 2017 Contributing sponsors, L.C. Fulenwider, Schneider Electric, Regional Transportation District, Xcel Energy and Panasonic Enterprise Solutions.

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/98bf8119-2b39-4c3a-847a-71300987720a


            

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