The 2005 Cornell University Solar Decathlon house

The Solar Decathlon is a competition sponsored by the United States Department of Energy, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and several international, private-sector corporations. The competition challenges student and faculty teams from colleges and universities to design and construct a house that runs only on solar energy. In order to participate in the competition, teams must design and build their solar houses within the constraints of the Solar Decathlon rules and regulations, and transport them from their home institution to the competition site on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for a week of public tours and evaluated contests. Up to three years of research and planning go into the creation of each of the houses. In the Fall of 2002, 14 teams from across the United States and Puerto Rico came together to participate in the competition. In October 2005, 18 teams from the United States, Puerto Rico, and Spain competed in the contest, with Cornell University's house placing second to the University of Colorado. This paper describes the design and construction of the 2005 entry from Cornell University.