The concepts created by the competitors for the Department of Energy's biennial solar house building contest have been released, according to Fast Co. Exist.
The event, called the Solar Decathlon, features energy self-sufficient homes that are all designed by students. The contest has been held since 2002.
Many houses this year were designed with California’s drought in mind. A house created by Texas and Munich college students reuses graywater, captures rainwater, and has a system that purifies and stores water for both drinking and garden use. This year’s Decathlon has 14 teams and a $250,000 cap on the amount the groups can spend.
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