U of M Students Compete in Solar Decathlon

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A group of students from the University of Minnesota are in Washington, D.C., this week to compete in the Department of Energy's 2009 Solar Decathlon.

The team of budding engineers, architects and designers is assembling their ICON Solar House on the National Mall.

The team's house will join houses built by 19 other teams from the around the world to demonstrate sustainable home designs and technologies powered only by the sun.

The university's entry is designed to look like a traditional house in an attempt to appeal to homebuyers who don't want a more futuristic-looking home. --- On the Net: Department of Energy, Solar Decathlon: www.solardecathlon.org.

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