The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® Design Challenge is a collegiate competition that challenges student teams to design highly efficient buildings powered by renewable energy. For the 2020 competition, DOE is piloting Design Partners, a low-risk opportunity for builders and building owners to explore zero energy design for a current or upcoming project in their portfolio. Design Partners provide project requirements and interact with a collegiate team of student architects and engineers, and in return receive a zero energy design alternative and cost estimate for the project. It’s a win-win collaboration! This presentation describes outcomes from the 2020 Design Partner pilot projects that are bringing innovative technologies, solutions, and opportunities for owners and builders to participate in the 2021 program.

Learning Objectives:

·         Explain the structure of the U.S. DOE Solar Decathlon and its value to the industry.

·         Present the “perfect storm” of policy, technology, health, and economic trends that are making zero energy buildings desirable and feasible.

·         Introduce the Solar Decathlon Design Partners, a low-risk opportunity to explore zero energy alternatives for designs.

·         Describe innovative solutions proposed in 2020 Design Partner pilot projects.

What's the Why? 

How do we ensure the built environment aids in creating a sustainable energy future? By training a workforce that is empowered and passionate about designing and constructing zero energy buildings. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Decathlon competition has been doing just that for almost 20 years, boasting over 40,000 alumni worldwide.

Since 2014, the Design Challenge tasks collegiate teams to create zero energy ready buildings. The Design Challenge has since grown rapidly, with over 900 students participating annually in the last few years across over 80 teams. The Design Challenge continues to push students to design zero energy buildings while integrating critical design concepts such as grid-interactivity, resilience, and low embodied carbon. This competition provides students workforce ready skills and perspectives needed to evolve the built environment to be healthier, more  comfortable, and sustainable.


Low Risk, High Reward: Exploring Zero Energy Design With the u.s. Doe Solar Decathlon

Division / Sponsor:
Advanced Energy Systems Division (AESD) & Solar Energy Division (SED)

Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ES/ES2020/volume/83631

ES2020 - Virtual Conference 

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