CU Solar Decathlon is a student group dedicated to professional development in sustainable building design. Over the next six months, we will build a net-zero energy home in the Boulder community to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2023 Solar Decathlon Build Challenge. The University of Colorado Boulder has won this competition three times previously, including in 2020 with the innovative SPARC house.
What's the project about?
For the 2023 Solar Decathlon Build Challenge, we partnered with Flatirons Habitat for Humanity and the City of Boulder to build a net-zero energy home as part of the Ponderosa Stabilization Program.
The Ponderosa community is a diverse, tight-knit community in north Boulder. After catastrophic flooding in 2013, the city of Boulder purchased the community to replace outdated infrastructure, reduce flood risk to the community, preserve long-term affordability, and introduce new energy-efficient affordable housing options. The goal of the CU Solar Decathlon team is to build a model single-family house that can be replicated throughout the remainder of the Ponderosa development and the broader affordable housing market on the front range.
How can you help us?
Register to help build the house! Go to the following Flatirons Habitat for Humanity website or scan the QR code below.
- Click the blue "Volunteer" box in the upper right corner of the page
- Select "Sign In" or "Create Account" (you will need a login and password)
- Use join code CU Solar
- Skip the affiliation selection (join code and affiliation allow you to sign up for a reserved date with a group)
- Complete your account by agreeing to the waiver
- Go to the calendar, click on a "Ponderosa" time option and sign up if slots are open
If you would like to participate with a student, staff, or faculty group, please email us at cusolardecathlon@colorado.edu to coordinate a specific date. Reach out to us by email with any questions.
