We may write all the time about our developing neighborhoods, but one D.C. block is getting super-developed as we speak. Stroll down to the National Mall between today and October 20 and you’ll find yourself in the middle of the Solar Village, where twenty universities have descended on the strip with their brilliant innovations costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, to compete in Solar Decathlon 2007. The entire event is open to the public with tours, workshops, and awards ceremonies for the most promising and practical showings.

Developed by the Department of Energy five years ago, and now part of Pres. Bush’s 2006 Solar America Initiative, the Solar Decathlon challenges engineering and architecture students to create “the most livable, energy-efficient, completely solar-powered house.” Each team is given a grant of $100,000 — though most projects use significantly more, raising the rest themselves through gifts and fundraising — and two years to design and build their project. The teams arrived in D.C. last week to begin assembling their 800 sq. ft. units, outfitted with technology that allows the house to produce as much or more energy than it uses.

A true decathlon, the teams compete in a battery of ten tests for certain points. Each house must be well-rounded to score high, not only maintaining a successful energy balance, but also by being a truly practical house that’s easy and comfortable to live in. A new trial this year tests market viability, urging teams to think about the real people who might want to buy such a home. And not content to leave the competition at the garage door, more points are awarded based on how many miles they can drive their electric car, using “leftover” energy generated by the house.

Filed Under: america, architecture, Bush, design, environment, national mall, nationalmall, neighborhoods, people, solar decathlon, technology,