UNLV students are getting international recognition and a chance to showcase their talents in the Department of Energy International Solar Decathlon.

Students from engineering, architecture, accounting and political science will all work together to build a so-called “net-zero solar house.” The home must be energy efficient and cost effective. It will also be designed to withstand the extremes of the Mojave Desert. At the same time, it will harness some of the advantages of the desert like the year-round sunshine. Plus, once the house is built and tested, the students must disassemble it and move it to the competition site.

The UNLV team will compete against teams from 20 other universities from around the world. The competition is next year in California but work is already underway on the project. Everyone involved say it is a privilege to be part of the cutting-edge effort.

Over the next several years, the country will be phasing out incandescent light bulbs. They’re being replaced with more energy-efficient bulbs.

A lot of people still have questions about the transition. Home Depot is hoping to answer those questions. Every Saturday in January, the home improvement store will be offering how-to classes on light bulbs.

The workshops start at 10 a.m., at all Home Depot Stores. Experts will show people how to choose the right kind of energy-efficient bulb and answer questions about specialty lighting.