A team of Old Dominion and Hampton University students is one of 20 international teams competing in the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon, to design, build and operate the most affordable, attractive, effective and energy-efficient solar-powered house.

Called Unit 6 Unplugged, the team's proposed project is part of a six-unit, multifamily building for a central city site.

Unit 6 Unplugged features

• A balcony with operable windows and thermal mass to convert to a sunspace in winter
• A circulation core containing mechanical systems and a combined heat and power system
• Commercially available photovoltaic and thermal products mounted on the roof and within the core

Unit 6 Unplugged will be erected with other entries along the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for two weeks in fall 2011.