Mazie Hirono: “I recently met a team from the University of Hawaii, one of 20 collegiate teams selected to build an energy efficient…”

“I recently met a team from the University of Hawaii, one of 20 collegiate teams selected to build an energy efficient, solar-powered house as part of the Solar Decathlon, an international competition sponsored by the Department of Energy. In the fall of 2011, the D.C. National Mall will transform into a zero-emission solar village built by the next generation of architects and engineers. These houses will be attractive and affordable, demonstrating an array of innovative, energy technologies. Designed for a tropical climate, the Hawaii model will be built using a bio-based polymer and the house will be buoyant enough to float in the event of a flood. A new generation of leaders in the clean-energy economy will emerge from programs like these, and I look forward to walking through the solar village next year. The Solar Decathlon is one example of harnessing American ingenuity to meet the energy challenges of the 21st century. Let us continue to support programs like these that empower a new generation of thinkers to engineer a clean-energy future.”