Abstract
With its first edition held in 2002 organized by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Solar Decathlon is a university competition focused on training the next generation of architects and engineers with the aim of spreading the concept of efficient houses powered by the sun, fostering a more sustainable and efficient world. To date, 18 competitions have been held around the world with approximately 291 teams, involving thousands of students, professors, organizers, visitors, etc. With almost two decades of history, there is no information on the performance of competitions in the eyes of those who have gone through this experience. This study, developed in the Annex 74 “Competition and Living Lab Platform” of the International Energy Agency’s Energy in Building and Communities Technology Collaboration Program, seeks to provide insight into the experience of former decathletes, faculties, organizers, and professionals who have attended some of the competitions held so far. To reach this objective, a worldwide survey was conducted in 2020 and an analysis of the responses was carried out. With this information, it is possible to assess the performance of Solar Decathlon competitions and associated events in order to improve them.
Highlights
Technological innovation, especially in the field of sustainability, has made it necessary to continuously update knowledge and develop skills to keep the possibilities for achievement continually expanding [1]
The students’ experience in working as a team, developing communication and leadership skills, and knowing how to create solutions in situations under stress are qualities that are stimulated by practical tasks—this knowledge is definitely not obtained within the classroom. This shows the relevance of an event that perpetuates non-formal education, and how important it is for students to have contact with this type of approach, because it is clear that there are always aggregating benefits for everyone involved
The realization of a survey that united the opinion of people from all over the world, including those who had participated in competitions held over 18 years ago, was very important, because it made it possible to capture the positive and negative impacts of the competition according to the opinion of those who lived the experience
Summary
Technological innovation, especially in the field of sustainability, has made it necessary to continuously update knowledge and develop skills to keep the possibilities for achievement continually expanding [1]. There is a need to develop these skills during academic life [2], when students can participate in activities that provide them with appropriate preparation for the work environment This includes using specific techniques for communicating with a team, relating, and presenting, as well as developing management (leadership) skills or other skills that are required by the market [3]. These skills are developed outside the classroom [4], through activities that aim to provide knowledge that is not offered by the monodisciplinary model of universities. This learning method is known as non-formal education [5,6]
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