For the first time ever, an Australian team has been selected to compete in the international Solar Decathlon challenge.
By demonstrating how to retrofit an existing home, Team UOW from the University of Wollongong is taking up the challenge to design, build and operate a solar-powered house that is cost-effective, energy-efficient and attractive.
The competition is dubbed a decathlon because students will compete in and be judged on ten events covering all aspects of housing design, including architecture, market appeal, engineering, communications, solar application, thermal comfort, hot water, appliances, home entertainment and energy balance.
The Solar Decathlon China 2013 competition is co-hosted by the US Department of Energy and the National Energy Administration China and follows on from the highly successful US and European Solar Decathlons that have been held biennially since 2002 and 2010 respectively.
For the past 10 years the competition has showcased an amazing array of innovative renewable energy and sustainable technologies and has developed into the preeminent student-led design competition in the world. It seeks to foster creative thinking and applied training and highlights to the public the benefits of sustainable design.
The event will take place between the 6th and 15th of August 2013 in Datong, a large city located approximately 300km west of Beijing, China.