Can you build a house?

I am not talking about a tipi made of three sticks propped together and covered by a bed sheet. I am talking about an energy-efficient house with living quarters, appliances, and hot water. Did you answer no, you don't think you can build a house like that? Actually, you can. University students  across the world are participating in the Solar Decathlon, a competition hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy challenging students to build their own energy-efficient houses.

The exterior of Middlebury College's 2011 entry

Teams of students from Universities take as long as two years to plan and design their houses before construction. The houses must be solar-powered and are judged on categories such as architectural design, engineering, affordability, energy production, comfort, and utilities. The winning house is the one that scores the highest combination of points in ten different categories.

The interior of the University of Calgary's 2011 entry

So, what happens to the houses after the competition? The houses are not typically inhabited after they have endured the competition, although if you have the cash you could certainly scoop one up for your living pleasures, as some of the houses are sold in order to raise money for future competitions, which are dependent on sponsorships. Most of the houses sold, though, are bought by companies whose products are used in the houses in order to be put on display. Some of the houses are dissembled so their material can be reused, and the majority of the houses are used for research and to educate the public on how they can make their own home more energy efficient.

                          Take a tour of Team Germany's winning entry in the 2009 Solar Decathlon!

The design and construction of these houses require knowledge from many different fields of learning. Even if you aren't handy with a hammer and nail, you can still contribute to the construction of theses houses that have to ability to influence a more environmentally friendly planet to inhabit. If you want to learn more about this project or how to enter your own University, you can visit http://www.solardecathlon.gov/.