Team New Zealand places in the solar decathlon

We were elated when we managed to move up one place in the overall rankings today from 4th into 3rd. Our result is testament to the hard work, determination, passion and support of the team. The house has received positive comments from so many of the thousands who have come through and consistently had some of the longest queues outside. Congratulations to the staff and students of Victoria University, thanks to the supporters from Fanshawe College in Canada and also the other companies who have joined us in contributing services, finances and materials towards this project.

As well as achieving an overall placing this project has been a model of integrated design resulting in a building that is beautiful and functional. Not beautiful and yet functional - as if there was a mutually exclusive result requiring compromise -  but having both beauty recognized by the 1st place in the engineering contest and functional as recognized through the 2nd place in the architectural contest. The resulting universal appeal was recognized through the 3rd place in the marketability contest.

Only a third of the teams were able to achieve the goal of a net zero energy balance due to 6 of the 9 days of the competition being overcast making this years event a true test of energy efficiency. New Zealand ended the energy competition with a positive balance of 2.5 kW, that's about enough energy to run this kiwi home for another day.