Team Germany wins Solar Decathlon

October 16th, 2009

Alright, so I’m just a tad bit bummed that Team California didn’t take home the grand prize in the 2009 Solar Decathlon, though they did have an impressive third-place finish — even winning the architecture and communications contests — but you can’t really argue with Team Germany’s incredible energy-saving design. The cube-shaped two-story house, which is completely covered in solar panels, produces an incredible 200 percent of the energy needed by its inhabitants.

surPLUShome, Team Germany's winning design. The team also finished first in the 2007 Solar Decathlon.

surPLUShome, Team Germany's winning design. The students' philosophy was to "push the envelope with as many new technologies as possible." The team also finished first in the 2007 Solar Decathlon.

Here’s a look at the other top finishers:

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Gable House, which was awarded second place, stood out for its artful blending of innovative technology and native Midwestern architecture. Photo credit: Jim Tetro, US Dept. of Energy Solar Decathlon

$Third-place finisher Team California, the only undergraduate-led team in the competition, emphasized West Coast living and comfort with its natural light–filled, cutting-edge design of Refract House. Photo credit: Jim Tetro, US Dept. of Energy Solar Decathlon$

Third-place finisher Team California, the only undergraduate-led team in the competition, emphasized West Coast living and comfort with Refract House's natural light–filled, cutting-edge design. Photo credit: Jim Tetro, US Dept. of Energy Solar Decathlon

Congratulations to all of the incredibly talented and motivated students in the competition — the world’s future green architects, designers, and engineers among them. We’ll be looking to you in the coming years to make homes like these a reality for all of us!

–Jennifer Grayson