Hundreds of students head to D.C

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA -- At first glance, it could look like any typical home construction site. Drilling...cutting...even installing a solar panel is not uncommon these days. But, most of the workers on the site are Santa Clara University students. The eight hundred square foot house they are constructing now, will get deconstructed in the next month. The students will then re-assemble the house in Washington, D.C., to compete in an international student solar house decathlon.

Tim Sennot, the project engineering manager said "We're trying to make everything very transparent so, when you walk into the house, it feels like a home. It doesn't feel like a science project."  The solar house will produce more electricity than it uses. In addition to the big energy savings, it has a lot of green features.

Student participant Sean Irwin said "our siding for the house is made from reclaimed redwood which we are taking, planing down to make it look brand new." A student-run project like this takes plenty of dedication, and time. lots of time. Sennot explained "most people put in probably 60 hours a week, but there are weeks during the school year, weeks during the summer that we do 80 hours... we do a hundred hours.'

But the students are seeing the light, and are inspired knowing they're on the cutting edge of this industry.  For these students, it's a lesson that could not be taught in a classroom.  Building a brighter future, one solar panel at a time.