Solar Decathlon Design Challenge Teams Advance As Finalists
55 teams representing 38 universities are advancing as finalists in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® 2022 Design Challenge.
Finalist teams were chosen based on presentations and design submissions at the semifinal competition event, held virtually February 25–26, 2022. During this event, teams pitched their unique building designs, impressing industry expert jurors with their creativity and ability to tackle the most difficult issues in the built environment.
Up to 10 teams per division were selected as finalists, with divisions spanning the following residential and commercial building types: New Housing, Retrofit Housing, Attached Housing, Multifamily Building, Office Building, and Education Building.
Finalist teams will compete in the Solar Decathlon Competition Event, April 22–24, 2022, at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. Additionally, there will be virtual participation available. First-place winners will be chosen in each division, with one grand winner selected in each of the residential and commercial categories.
Congratulations to the 55 finalist teams advancing to the final round of the 2022 Design Challenge from 38 collegiate institutions.
Solar Decathlon Design Challenge Finalists
New Housing Division
Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana
Ferris State University, Big Rapids, Michigan
Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee
The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, Tennessee
University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska
University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin; University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Retrofit Housing Division
Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana
Ferris State University, Big Rapids, Michigan
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois
The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania
University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
Attached Housing Division
Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana
Ferris State University, Big Rapids, Michigan
Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario
The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts
Multifamily Building Division
Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, New York City, New York
Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts
Office Building Division
Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana
Howard University, Washington, D.C.
Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi
Myongji University (명지대학교), Seoul, South Korea
Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario
Tehran University of Art (دانشگاه هنر تهران), Tehran, Iran
Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts
Education Building Division
Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana
Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario
Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario
Shiraz University (انشگاه شیراز), Shiraz, Iran
Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Alexandria, Virginia
About the Solar Decathlon
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is a collegiate competition that prepares the next generation of building professionals to design and build high-performance, low-carbon buildings powered by renewables. The Design Challenge is a one- to two-semester, design-only competition, while the Build Challenge is a two-year design-build competition.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2022, the Solar Decathlon has challenged more than 25,000 students to create efficient, affordable buildings powered by renewables, while promoting student innovation, STEM education, and workforce development opportunities in the buildings industry.
Buildings account for 75% of electricity use, 40% of total energy use, and 35% of carbon emissions in the United States. Solar Decathlon supports a key strategy for tackling climate challenges: developing a workforce that is equipped to design and construct a low-carbon building stock and deliver an equitable clean energy future.
Additional details are available on the Solar Decathlon website.
Article courtesy of National Renewable Energy Laboratory. By Kelly MacGregor
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