Solar Decathlon 2013 Teams Arrive; Construction to Begin Monday of Student-Designed, Solar-Powered Homes

Chance to Capture Advance Interviews, Great Visuals Before Competition Starts

IRVINE, CA – Collegiate teams involving more than 1,000 students from around the world will arrive at the Orange County Great Park on Monday, September 23 to begin the construction of their highly energy-efficient, solar-powered houses competing in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013. The collegiate teams will spend the next 10 days building their one-of-a-kind houses in order to be ready for the opening day of Solar Decathlon 2013 on October 3. This intense build out phase is a nonstop sprint as the teams work furiously to meet the opening day deadline. During the competition phase of the Solar Decathlon, October 3-13, the houses designed by the student teams will compete in 10 contests that gauge each house's performance, livability and affordability.


WHO: Participating collegiate teams from the United States plus three foreign countries, including: four California-based teams: USC, SCI-Arc/Caltech, Stanford and Santa Clara University

WHAT: House Assembly/Construction: See teams building their houses for the competition and public exhibit--

Interview Opportunities: Get advance access to students and U.S. Department of Energy officials--

B-Roll and Photo Opportunities: Capture compelling video and photos of student teams constructing solar-powered houses--

Background Information: Visit our online press room and download our online media kit

WHEN: House Assembly/Construction:*

· Monday, September 23 (students and equipment will arrive onsite at 7:00 a.m.)

· September 23 – October 1 (varying phases of house assembly)

*Advance coordination, including personal protective equipment, is required to visit during the Assembly/Construction phase. Please see RSVP details below to make arrangements.

RSVP: Media wishing to attend should RSVP by contacting Jason Lutterman, media lead at the U.S. Department of Energy, at Jason.Lutterman@ee.doe.gov or (202) 586-0883. Advance coordination is required to visit during the Assembly/Construction phase.

WHERE: Orange County Great Park, Irvine, California – view directions and map

Team houses will open to the public free of charge October 3-6 and October 10-13 from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., and the overall winner will be announced on October 12 at 10:00 a.m. For full event information, shuttle options, current standings, high-resolution photos, videos, an event schedule and daily results, visit www.SolarDecathlon.gov. You may also follow the competition in real time on Facebook at Facebook.com/DOESolarDecathlon and Twitter at @Solar_Decathlon. Photos are also available on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solar_decathlon/.

For the first time, Solar Decathlon will be hosted alongside XPO, a clean, renewable and efficient energy exposition, featuring visionary and innovative companies, products and educational opportunities at the Orange County Great Park. Through fun, interactive exhibits and activities, the XPO will provide visitors with information about the broad spectrum of energy efficiency in home design, transportation, consumer products, food production and education. Visitors will experience a 21st century festival of creativity, technology, design and educational experiences that will inspire children and adults alike. Learn more at www.The-XPO.org.

More about the Solar Decathlon

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is an award-winning program that challenges collegiate students from around the world to design, build and operate solar-powered houses that are affordable, highly energy efficient, attractive, and easy to live in. The competition shows consumers how to save money and energy with affordable clean energy products that are available today. The two-year projects will culminate in an unprecedented display of affordable green living and design on the Orange County Great Park in Irvine, California. The Solar Decathlon also provides participating students with hands-on experience and unique training that prepares them to enter our nation's clean energy workforce, supporting the Obama Administration's goal of transitioning to a clean energy economy, saving money for families and businesses.

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