The Solar Decathlon is an educational project of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Comfort Zone

(100 points)

Teams competing in the Solar Decathlon design their houses to maintain steady, uniform, and comfortable temperature and humidity throughout.

For the Comfort Zone contest, teams receive full points for maintaining narrow ranges of temperature (72°F/22.2°C to 76°F/24.4°C) and relative humidity (40% to 55%) inside the houses.

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Photo of a bedroom inside Team Montreal's home, which has light-wood flooring and abundant natural light streaming in from windows surrounding a small bed dressed in black and white bedding. The bed's multicolored headboard creates a focal point of the room.

Teams are scored on their ability to provide interior comfort in their homes, including maintaining proper temperature and humidity. In 2007, Team Montreal used polyurethane insulation made from soybeans and recycled plastic and tripled-glazed, low-e windows to help maintain an even temperature inside their home.