For Immediate Release: May 3, 2010
Media Contact: Marketing and Communication Department
U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 Finalists: A Special Presentation exhibition opens May 1, 2010
WHAT
On May 1, 2010, the National Building Museum will open the exhibition U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 Finalists: A Special Presentation. The exhibition features models of conceptual designs for solar-powered houses from the 20 finalists competing in the 2011 Solar Decathlon.
Ten years ago this spring, the U.S. Department of Energy invited colleges and universities to compete in the inaugural Solar Decathlon, a competition to design, build, and demonstrate a solar-powered house on the National Mall. Since the first Solar Decathlon in the fall of 2002, the program has unleashed the creative power of architecture and engineering students to rethink the role of energy efficiency—and solar power in particular—in home design and raised public awareness on the topic.
The teams in this exhibition have already competed against their peers for one of the 20 places in the Solar Village. To secure a spot on the Mall, each team submitted extensive proposals, including models of their conceptual designs. With Solar Decathlon 2011 still more than a year away, all are hard at work designing their houses.
WHO
Twenty collegiate teams: Appalachian State University, Middlebury College, Ohio State University, Parsons NS Stevens (Parsons The New School for Design and Stevens Institute of Technology), Purdue University, Team Canada (University of Calgary), Team Belgium (Ghent University), SCI-Arc/Caltech (Southern California Institute of Architecture and California Institute of Technology), Team China (Tongji University), Team Florida (The University of South Florida, Florida State University, The University of Central Florida, and The University of Florida), Team Massachusetts (Massachusetts College of Art and Design and University of Massachusetts at Lowell), Team New Jersey (Rutgers–The State University of New Jersey and New Jersey Institute of Technology), Team New York (The City College of New York), New Zealand (Victoria University of Wellington), Tidewater Virginia (Old Dominion University and Hampton University), Florida International University, The University of Tennessee, University of Hawaii, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and University of Maryland.
WHERE
National Building Museum
401 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20001 (Judiciary Square Metro, Red Line)
WHEN
Exhibition opens to the public: May 1, 2010
CONTACT
Marketing and Communications Department, 202.272.2448, ext. 3458
SPONSOR
U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 Finalists: A Special Presentation is co-presented by the National Building Museum, the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
The National Building Museum is America’s leading cultural institution dedicated to advancing the quality of the built environment by educating people about its impact on their lives. Through its exhibitions, educational programs, online content, and publications, the Museum has become a vital forum for the exchange of ideas and information about the world we build for ourselves. Public inquiries: 202.272.2448 or visit www.nbm.org. Connect with us on Twitter: @BuildingMuseum and Facebook.
