Ecology Tested on the National Mall
But did enough students seize the opportunity to challenge the great American lawn?

By Mary Rickel Pelletier

Stefano Paltera/Solar Decathlon

Pouring rain challenged student teams from 18 colleges and universities competing in the 2005 Solar Decathlon on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in early October. The Solar Decathlon is a rare opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration between students of architecture, engineering, business, marketing, communications, and landscape architecture. The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (www.eere.ener gy.gov/solar_decathlon) hosts this biennial project to spark innovation in energy-efficient, single-family solar homes. Each of the 18 Solar Decathlon teams enlisted the participation of about 60 students from five or more disciplines. The challenge is to design, fund, build, test, and transport a small model house to the National Mall for the competition and for public display.