VIEW the Video: UC Solar House in Washington, D.C.

The nation took note of the University of Cincinnati’s participation in the prestigious Solar Decathlon, an international competition among elite global programs to design and build the world’s best solar house.

In that competition, 20 select schools from around the world displayed student-constructed solar homes on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. During the week these houses were displayed on the mall, more than 100,000 visitors toured the homes – while documentary makers and a great number of broadcast, print and Internet news media covered the event and the innovative application of technology by students.

Also, while UC finished 15th amongst the contestants, the university has already filed a provisional patent application on a mounting bracket the UC students developed when assembling the house’s patio wall of evacuated tubes. (The hot water inside these tubes provided energy for heating and cooling the house.)

In addition, a number of national media featured the UC house during its construction phase and while it was in Washington. For instance, Washington-area high schoolers visiting the Solar Decathlon told National Public Radio that UC’s house was the coolest, the one the teens would most like to live in. That broadcast aired on Oct. 19.

Meanwhile the Blue Egg Web site Senior Editor Jeff Binder picked UC’s house as his favorite due to its

• Rainscreen siding.

• Absorption chiller that utilizes solar hot water to cool the house.

• Recycled building materials like tires reused in the flooring and plastic bags reused for deck materials.

• Modular design and open interior with “huge amounts of storage.”

Binder called the house “absolutely livable.”

Other media singling out the UC house at the Solar Decathlon – or even before the actual event – include BusinessWeek magazine, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Scripps Howard News Service, Ohio Magazine, The Columbus Dispatch and even an in-production documentary called "Solar Ohio" from NPR-affiliate WOUB-TV.

• View construction photo gallery of UC's solar house.

• Read about the technology incorporated into the UC house.

• Read more about UC's top-ranked architecture, design, business and engineering programs.

• Apply to UC.