Salut Versailles! Solar Decathlon Europe Opens to Visitors

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On June 28, 20 competition houses from 17 countries and three continents open to visitors in La Cité du Soleil—Solar Decathlon Europe’s solar city in Versailles, France, reports Carol Laurie for Solar Decathlon.

Two of the 20 teams represent US–European partnerships:

  • Team Inside Out (Rhode Island School of Design, Brown University, and Germany’s University of Applied Sciences–Erfurt)
  • Team Réciprocité (Appalachian State University and France’s Université d’Angers).

solar decathlon 2014

Maison Réciprocité, the competition house of the Appalachian State University and Université d’Angers team, is shown under construction at Solar Decathlon Europe 2014 in Versailles, France. Credit: Maureen Clapper

Note the second level on Team Réciprocité‘s competition house. The lower level is designed for commercial purposes, the second can be exclusively used as residential living, and on the very top there is a garden, a living green space.

Keep up with their live monitoring and scoring results on the competition’s home page. You can also keep pace with all the fun on the Solar Decathlon Europe events calendar. In addition, in the projects profile you can find information about the team projects.

solar decathlon 2014

Members of Team Réciprocité (Appalachian State University and Université d’Angers) show their team spirit at the Solar Decathlon Europe 2014 welcome ceremony on June 15. Credit: Solar Decathlon Europe

La Cité du Soleil is FREE and open to the public from June 28 to July 14. The solar houses are open for visits:

  • Weekdays – 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
  • Weekends – 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Solar Decathlon Europe, a complementary competition to the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, was hosted by Spain for its first two competitions in 2010 and 2012.

Watch for all of our news as each of the 10 Solar Decathlon 2014 contests is judged, and Good Luck to Team Inside Out and Team Réciprocité!

For the first time in the competition’s history, the innovative student-built houses of Solar Decathlon 2013 all generated more electricity than they consumed during the 10-day competition.

Fans of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, mark your calendars: Solar Decathlon 2015 will be held October 8-18, 2015, at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine, California.


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Amber Archangel

-- I am an artist, painter, writer, interior designer, graphic designer, and constant student of many studies. Living with respect for the environment close at hand, the food chain, natural remedies for healing the earth, people and animals is a life-long expression and commitment. As half of a home-building team, I helped design and build harmonious, sustainable and net-zero homes that incorporate clean air systems, passive and active solar energy as well as rainwater collection systems. Private aviation stirs a special appeal, I would love to fly in the solar airplane and install a wind turbine in my yard. I am a peace-loving, courageous soul, and I am passionate about contributing to the clean energy revolution. I formerly designed and managed a clean energy website, 1Sun4All.com.

Amber Archangel has 195 posts and counting. See all posts by Amber Archangel