Solar Decathlon

A very unique event has come to Washington the Solar Decathlon. Twenty universities from around the world are competing for a prize from the Department of Energy on who can build the most efficient solar house. Here's an article from the Post on the competition. As another article states:

If you've been to the Mall recently, you may have noticed a big change: Twenty houses have sprouted up in the past few weeks.

The structures, striking examples of modern design, are part of the third Solar Decathlon, a project of the Department of Energy. Student teams from 20 universities in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Germany and Spain are vying to construct the most livable, attractive and energy-efficient houses that run entirely on solar power. Through Saturday, you can peek inside their creations.

Designed and built over two years, the 500- to 800-square-foot houses have been transported from their respective campuses and reassembled to form a solar village. They boast fully functioning kitchens and bathrooms, plus central air conditioning, heating and hot water powered by photovoltaic panels. They also employ such green features as recycled building materials, modular construction and energy-efficient appliances; some of these are already on the market, while others represent the cutting edge of green building technologies.

It's good to know that there is at least some attempt underway in this country to address alternative fuels and how they can be used in everyday life.