Solar Decathlon teams assemble for group photo (Photo by Thomas Kelsey, US Dept of Energy Solar Decathlon)

Now underway: The 7th U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is underway in Orange, California, with 16 university/technical school teams from the US, Central America, Singapore, Germany, and Rome that have built solar-powered homes to compete for the big prize — as best solar house — on Oct. 18. The teams and their houses will be put through the paces (design, energy efficiency, household functions such as cooking and laundry) in 10 different contests.  Here’s your portal to the 2015 Decathlon

Members of Team Orange County, University of California, Irvine; Chapman University; Irvine Valley College; and Saddleback College put the final touches of their “wall of plants” on Day 9 of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon at the Orange County Great Park, Irvine, California Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015. (Credit: Thomas Kelsey/U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon)

How Teams Compete

For the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, collegiate teams spend almost two years designing and building energy-efficient houses powered by the sun. In the final competition, the teams and their houses go head to head in 10 contests to determine an overall winner.

The winning team produces a house that:

• Is affordable, attractive, and easy to live in
• Maintains comfortable and healthy indoor environmental conditions
• Supplies energy for cooking, cleaning, entertainment, and commuting
• Provides adequate hot water
• Produces as much or more energy than it consumes.

Nate St. John of University at Buffalo The State University of New York works on a crawler as the team’s deck moves closer to completion on Day 7 (photo credit: Thomas Kelsey, US Dept of Energy Solar Decathlon)

The Lineup: 16 Teams

Check out the teams and get access to their Twitter feeds and Facebook pages to cheer them on

Cal Poly,  Clemson, Crowder/Drury,  Florida/Singapore,  Mass/Central America,  Missouri S&T,  New York City Tech,  Sacramento State,  Stevens,  Team NY Alfred,  Team Orange County,  Team Tennessee,  Texas/Germany, University at Buffalo,  UC Davis,  West Virginia/Rome, Yale

See the 2015 Solar Village take shape in this time-lapse photo sequence

Team members of Crowder College and Drury University install Hurricane resistant shield doors to withstand 200 mph winds on Day 8 of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon at the Orange County Great Park, Irvine, California Monday, Oct. 5, 2015. (Credit: Thomas Kelsey/U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon)

Read and Learn More

Mohammad Alsharif (left) and Christian Plaza of the New York City College of Technology apply drywall mud on Day 9 of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon at the Orange County Great Park, Irvine, California Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015. (Credit: Thomas Kelsey/U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon)

Green News Update has been following the Solar Decathlon since 2005. Here are some of our stories about the competition and the teams — and what everyone learned from this intense, inspiring project.

European Solar Decathlon 2014 in Versailles France  Wrapup story

US Solar Decathlon 2013 Wrapup story

Solar Decathlon China 2013 Wrapup story

European Solar Decathlon 2012 (Photo gallery)

European Solar Decathlon Wrapup story (2012)