Design and Livability (200 pts) - A jury of architects will judge design, innovation, and aesthetics.  The challenge of the contest will be to integrate design and solar energy and energy efficiency technologies into the domestic environment.

Design Presentation and Simulation (100 pts) - Before a project is built, the designers imagine the project through drawings and models.  This contest evaluates the production of an imaginative and thorough set of documents illustrating the construction of each team's house and the simulation of its energy performance.

Graphics and Communication (100 pts) - Each team will be required to produce its own outreach materials, as well as provide live tours of their houses to the visiting public.  The goal of this contest is to effectively explain the solar energy and energy efficiency technologies used in the competition house.

The Comfort Zone (100 pts) - This contest will demonstrate that each house is designed to maintain interior comfort through natural ventilation, heating, cooling, and humidity controls while using a minimum amount of energy.

Hot Water (100 pts) - This contest demonstrates that a solar house can provide all of the energy necessary to heat water for common uses such as bathing, laundry, and dishwashing.

Refrigeration (100 pts) - The challenge of this contest is to maintain appropriate temperatures in a refrigerator and freezer while minimizing energy use.  Points will be awarded based on how consistently the refrigerator/freezer maintain interior temperatures throughout the competition week.

Energy Balance (100 pts) - The object of this contest is to begin and end the competition with the same amount of energy stored in the battery system, demonstrating that the sun can supply the energy necessary for all of the house's daily energy demands.

Lighting (100 pts) - This contest judges the energy efficiency of the lighting in the house as well as the elegance and quality during both the day and night.

Home Business (100 pts) - This contest will require that the houses can provide enough power to satisfy the energy needs of a home-based business that uses a personal computer, fax machine, and other electronic equipment.

Getting Around (100 pts) - This contest evaluates how much "extra" energy a competition house can generate to transport Decathletes around town in a commercially available electric vehicle.

Solar Decathlon  |  EREN  |  University of Delaware  |  Webguy