The Solar Decathlon is a competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in partnership with its National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the American Institute of Architects, the National Association of Homebuilders, BP, the DIY Network, and Sprint. Eighteen collegiate teams are charged with the design, construction, and operation of a completely solar-powered home. The purpose of the competition is to promote solar energy as a viable, healthy, and cost-effective alternative to traditional energy. The competition focuses most visibly on solar photovoltaic (PV) energy production, although the ten contests of the decathlon also explore such issues as thermal comfort, livability, and systems efficiency.

By building a beautiful, livable house and integrating the PV panels into the design - instead of slapping them on the roof as an afterthought - we hope to show that solar power is not a fringe market, but a viable energy source. Solar power is more affordable than ever, easier to install, use, and maintain, and empowers the homeowner to be an energy producer instead of merely a consumer.