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.