Team Austria Takes First Place At Solar Decathlon 2013!

Team Austria from the Vienna University of Technology has won the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013.

Exterior of the house built by students from Team Austria of the Vienna Institute of Technology to compete in Solar Decathlon 2013. | Photo credit: Jason Flakes | U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.

The first-time U.S. competitor consistently wowed juries with its LISI house, after winning first place in the Communications Contest, tying for second place in Market Appeal, and tying for third place in Engineering.  In measured contests, Team Austria received first place in both the Hot Water and Energy Balance contests.

Note: See our earlier article with videos about the Vienna Institute of Technology, LISI House, and Nobel Prize Recipient Tours Solar Decathlon Village.

Deck on the house built by students from the University of Nevada Las Vegas to compete in Solar Decathlon 2013. | Photo credit: Jason Flakes | U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.

University of Las Vegas Nevada took second place in the overall competition.

Note: see our earlier article on The University of Nevada Las Vegas, Affordability and Market Appeal Solar Decathlon Winners!

Deck on the house built by students from the Czech Technical University to compete in Solar Decathlon 2013. | Photo credit: Jason Flakes | U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.

Czech Technical University received third place in the overall competition.

Note: See our earlier article on Architecture Contest at Solar Decathlon Won by Prague Team!

Results for the final juried contest, Engineering, were announced today prior to the overall competition winners. Team Ontario: Queen’s University, Carleton University, and Algonquin College placed first.

The Engineering Contest first-place winner is Team Ontario: Queen’s University, Carleton University, and Algonquin College. | Photo credit: Jason Flakes | U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.

Engineering Contest juror Kent W. Peterson of P2S Engineering:

Team Ontario revealed a complete understanding of building science, a very good building envelope for the target climate, and excellent integration of passive and active strategies. We believe this team best demonstrated design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency.

Second place in Engineering went to Czech Technical University from the Czech Republic. Three teams shared third place: Team Austria from Vienna University of Technology, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and University of Nevada Las Vegas.

The Engineering Contest jurors evaluate each house’s energy-efficiency savings, creative design innovations, and the functionality and reliability of each system.

See the Solar Decathlon website for final scoring results.

The Solar Decathlon 2013 and XPO are both taking place in Irvine, California through Sunday, October 13.

It’s FREE! Public hours are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily:

• Saturday, October 12 – Sunday, October 13, 2013