It’s in Washington. Look it up.
Kiwi ingenuity is set to do something to help restore New Zealand’s off-colour green reputation.
A Victoria University-led Kiwi team has been selected as one of only 20 teams worldwide to build a solar-powered house for the annual US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.
The student-based entry is the first Southern Hemisphere team to ever to be selected.
The New Zealand team will design, build and operate a reinvented Kiwi bach which will be powered entirely by solar energy, to create a sustainable home.
The house will be exhibited beside other contestants on the National Mall in Washington DC.
Over ten days in October next year, around 150,000 people will visit this temporary solar village.
Victoria University Vice-Chancellor Professor Pat Walsh says being selected for the international competition is an exceptional result.
“It’s a tremendous achievement for the team to be finalists, especially in such an important area. It’s an opportunity to showcase our innovation and capabilities on a world stage.”
The Solar Decathlon competition challenges university teams from around the world, with the winner being the team that best combines design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum energy efficiency.
The team and their design will be featured in next week’s issue of Salient.