Mizzou’s Department of Architectural Studies, aided by Missouri S&T and industry professionals, took another step to position Missouri as a leader in energy innovation.

Two teams, led by Mizzou faculty members Lyria Bartlett and Janna Lancaster, presented their work at the final round of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Decathlon Design Challenge. Their eight-story comprehensive sustainable design, LightHAUS, received third place in the Multifamily Housing Division.

“Our two all-undergraduate teams represented the State of Missouri very well,” said Bartlett, associate professor and chair of architectural studies at Mizzou. 

Out of 105 teams that entered the competition — representing 93 institutions from 18 countries — 40 were invited to the finals at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. The LightHAUS team was one of twelve to win awards at the Design Challenge and one of only three programs awarded the Zero Energy Design Designation from the DOE.

The students whose ingenuity and creativity helped the two Missouri teams reach the finals include Turmaloshni Asokan, Sam Gandhi, Sydney Flowers, Asha Saifullah, Hayley Frank, Milena Fischer, Cam Weiller, Gail Bray, Emery Evans, Ben Hendricks, Grant Jenkins, Chloe Nielsen, Dani Jennings Tyler Hatten, Ezra Stimac, and Cameron Clapp from Mizzou, along with Carson Sinnard, Kayla Walters, Reiley Clark, Owen Green, and William Lanfersieck from Missouri S&T.

The Solar Decathlon, DOE’s longest-running student competition, challenges the next generation of building professionals to create high-performance building designs that address real-world issues related to climate change, affordability, and environmental justice. The competition promotes student innovation, STEM education, and career-relevant development opportunities in the building industry.