Washington - U.S. Senator Robert Menendez was recognized yesterday for his support and contributions to green energy and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) 2011Solar Decathlon, receiving the 2011 SEIA Solar Leadership Award from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), as well as a photograph of this year's competitors signed and presented by New Jersey's student teams.
The biennial DOE Solar Decathlon challenged 19 collegiate teams from across the world to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive. Architecture is one of several categories in which students are being judged, and the team with the highest score in all categories will win the grand prize.
Senator Menendez was recognized during the Solar Decathlon's Architecture Award Ceremony for both his tireless efforts to promote clean energy and his successful efforts to keep the competition on the National Mall. Calls to move the project to suburban Maryland were silenced by the Senator when he explained the importance of keeping solar energy on a prominent stage.
After a congratulatory video message from Senator Menendez, the award for Best Architecture was announced. Appalachian State took third place, and Team New Zealand won second prize for their solar design. First Place for Architecture went to the team from University of Maryland. The speakers stressed how close the race is becoming and how all nineteen teams have a chance at winning the grand prize.
The New Jersey universities, represented on two teams, both had strong showings in the architecture category. EMPOWER House, composed of Stevens Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design, narrowly missed the podium. Stevens came in fourth for the architecture challenge, securing a top spot as the competition winds to a close. The team will be in excellent position for an overall win. NJIT and Rutgers are also only points away from the top contenders.
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