Mar 31 2009
Tool belts and hard hats have replaced the backpacks and the laptops of some students at Santa Clara University and California College of Arts in San Francisco. While thousands of students have been away on spring break, a handful of them stayed behind to begin construction on their solar-powered house for the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2009 Solar Decathlon.
The Solar Decathlon is a biennial, international competition that focuses on a crucial global problem—the ever-increasing need for energy. The contest, which takes place in Washington, D.C., October 8-16, gives students the opportunity to offer real solutions, including renewable energy sources and ways to use energy more efficiently.
Santa Clara University is competing in the Solar Decathlon for a second time. The collaboration with California College of Arts in San Francisco has created Team California. The partnership combines SCU’s strength in engineering and CCA’s expertise in architecture.