INTRO TO SOLAR DECATHLON 2013 TEAMS

While many students are getting ready for school this month, teams of university and college students around the globe have been hard at work this summer creating solar-powered houses as part of the Energy Department's 6th biennial Solar Decathlon.

In January, the 20 teams for the 2013 competition were announced. More than six months later, the teams are in full swing designing and building energy-efficient, solar houses that will compete in 10 contests to gauge houses' energy consumption, affordability, and ease of living. For most contests, we will have to wait for the judging in October 2013 to learn how teams are doing. But the Communications Contest provides an inside look at how teams are progressing.

From team websites and visuals to public tours and audience engagement, teams are judged on how well they educate others about their houses and their experiences during the competition. Some teams are going beyond the contest requirements and engaging people through different social media channels. Below are highlights of each team's house and how to follow their every move during the next year and a half.

To take a look at Team Tidewater's social media pages or check their competition, click here.