Solar Building Done the 'Rice' Way

It is moving day at Rice University as crews load a solar house built by students onto a truck and set off for Washington, D.C.

The Rice entry will face 20 other solar houses in a competition on the Washngton Mall sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The house is completely solar-powered and full of off-the-shelf appliances.

The energy-efficient house cost approximately $150,000 to build and can actually generate more electricity than it consumes.

After the competition ends, the house will return to Houston and be placed in the Third Ward.

The students involved in the project say that because the house will be part of Houston, it does not really matter if they win or lose.
Runs 25

The house will take a week to get to Washington, D.C., and is scheduled to return at the end of October.