Solar Decathlon Opening Ceremony and VIP Ribbon Cutting

News provided by

U.S. Department of Energy

Oct 02, 2013, 01:17 ET

Solar Decathlon Opening Ceremony and VIP Ribbon Cutting
Wednesday Media Preview; Thursday Opening Ceremony
Program Features City of Irvine Officials, Students and Special Guests

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Collegiate teams involving more than 1,000 students from around the world are racing to complete construction of their highly energy-efficient solar-powered houses for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013. Hosted outside Washington, D.C. for the first time, Solar Decathlon 2013 officially begins tomorrow at the Orange County Great Park with an opening ceremony featuring City of Irvine officials, participating students, special guests and event sponsors. See early photos here.

WHO:        

Collegiate teams from across the country and around the world


Steven Choi, Mayor, City of Irvine


Father Jim Reites, Professor & Team Faculty Advisor, Santa Clara University


Competition sponsors including: Cisco, Edison International, Robert Bosch LLC, Schneider Electric, and Wells Fargo



WHAT:       

Official kick-off of global competition that shows consumers how to save money and energy with affordable clean energy products that are available today. The highly efficient houses built by collegiate teams from four countries on two continents open to the public tomorrow at 11 a.m. Teams will begin competing in 10 contests spanning 10 days that gauge each house's performance, livability and affordability.




WHEN: 

Media Preview Day: 

Wednesday, October 2

               10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Media registration; welcoming program and guided tour through the Solar Decathlon village, featuring student introductions of student-built, solar-powered houses

               12:00 – 2:00 p.m.         

Sneak peek inside completed houses; advance interviews with students; compelling video and photo opportunities of student teams showcasing their solar-powered houses




Opening Ceremony:                 

Thursday, October 3

               8:30 a.m.           

All-team student photo in east end of Solar Decathlon village

               9:00 – 9:30 a.m.          

Media set-up and advance seating in Hangar 244

               9:30 – 11:00 a.m.      

Opening ceremony in Hangar 244 with students, elected officials, sponsors, special guest speakers, and VIPs

               11:00 a.m.

Ribbon-cutting and opening of Solar Decathlon village

               11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m

Interview availability with students, guided tours, and house access



WHERE:    

Orange County Great Park, Irvine, California – view directions and map 



RSVP:     

Media wishing to attend should RSVP by contacting Jason Lutterman, DOE media lead for the Solar Decathlon, at [email protected] or (202) 779-3295.  

Solar Decathlon 2013 teams competing at the Orange County Great Park:

  • Arizona State University and The University of New Mexico
  • Czech Republic (Czech Technical University)
  • Kentucky/Indiana (University of Louisville, Ball State University, and University of Kentucky)
  • Middlebury College
  • Missouri University of Science and Technology
  • Norwich University
  • Santa Clara University
  • Southern California Institute of Architecture and California Institute of Technology
  • Stanford University
  • Stevens Institute of Technology
  • Team Alberta (University of Calgary)
  • Team Austria (Vienna University of Technology)
  • Team Capitol DC (The Catholic University of America, George Washington University, and American University)
  • Team Ontario (Queen's University, Carleton University, and Algonquin College)
  • Team Texas (The University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso Community College)
  • University of Nevada Las Vegas
  • The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
  • University of Southern California
  • West Virginia University

Team houses will open to the public free of charge October 3-6 and October 10-13 from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. The overall winner will be announced Saturday, October 12 at 10:00 a.m.

Media interested in covering the Solar Decathlon 2013 may visit our online press room and download our online media kit.  For full event information, shuttle options, current standings, high-resolution photos, videos, an event schedule and daily results, visit www.SolarDecathlon.gov. You may also follow the competition in real time on Facebook at Facebook.com/DOESolarDecathlon and Twitter at @Solar_Decathlon. Photos are also available on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solar_decathlon/

For the first time, the Solar Decathlon will be hosted alongside XPO, a clean, renewable and efficient energy exposition, featuring visionary and innovative companies, products, and educational opportunities, organized by the City of Irvine and Orange County Great Park. Through fun, interactive exhibits and activities, the XPO will provide visitors with information about the broad spectrum of energy efficiency in home design, transportation, consumer products, food production and education. Visitors will experience a 21st century festival of creativity, technology, design, and educational experiences that will inspire children and adults alike. Learn more at www.The-XPO.org.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Energy

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