The Solar Decathlon is a competition among 15 university-based teams to build a full-sized solar-powered house that blends design excellence and smart energy production with overall innovation, market potential, energy efficiency and water efficiency. This year, for the first time, cash prizes will be awarded to the winners.

A “solar village main street” will be built near the Peña Station stop on the A Line. The Solar Decathlon village and competition houses will be free and open to the public—and upwards of 90,000 visitors are expected to attend.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, this is the eighth competition in a series that began in 2002 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. A team from the University of Colorado-Boulder won that initial competition. Teams this year include two from Europe—and the only local team is from Denver University (partnered with the University of California at Berkeley).

Solar Village Schedule:

Thursday, Oct. 5 to Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017 11am to 7pm

Monday, Oct. 9, 2017 — 1pm–7 pm

Thursday, Oct. 12 to Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017 11am–7pm