A community celebration in honor of Virginia Tech’s Solar Decathlon 2005 team will be held Tuesday, Nov. 29 on the Virginia Tech campus. The team, comprised of students from the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, the College of Engineering, and the Pamplin College of Business, competed last month in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2005, an international competition held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

The Office of Student Programs is coordinating a special meal in D2 (Dietrick Dining Center) from 5 to 7 p.m. All students, faculty, staff and community residents are invited to attend. The house is currently installed on Dietrick Lawn and the community is invited to tour the award winning house and see its numerous innovate features first-hand from 4 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 8 p.m.

Virginia Tech’s team won first place in Best Architecture, Best Dwelling, Best Daylight, and tied for first place in Best Electric Light, and placed fourth in the overall competition. The entry also won an AIA Presidential Award.

The 18 teams that competed in the Solar Decathlon were charged with creating attractive, practical, and efficient solar homes. The Department of Energy sponsors this decathlon to encourage innovation in solar developments while educating the public about alternative energy technologies.

Festivities in D2 will begin at 5:15 p.m. with comments by Paul Knox, dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies; , Zenobia Hikes, vice president for student affairs; and Robert Schubert, professor and associate dean for research and outreach in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies and a lead faculty advisor to the decathlon team.

The menu will include roast beef with au jus and horseradish cream, Cajun catfish, lemon pepper rotisserie chicken, sushi, eggplant Parmesan, crème brulee, and many other delicacies. The newly renovated D2, in Dietrick Hall, is an all-you-care-to-eat restaurant that features eight dining venues, including an authentic Brazilian churrascaria, wok-prepared Asian favorites, a Mediterranean venue with vegan and vegetarian selections, an all-American salad bar, and Mexican, Italian, and dessert favorites.

The price for this dinner is $8.95 or $2.85 for students with Flex Dining Plans. Students can enter a drawing to win door prizes, including two solar iPod chargers, a solar flashlight/radio, and solar battery chargers. Photos from the competition in Washington, D.C., will be displayed in D2.

Share this story