French Kings, Solar Power and Sustainability

A statement by EESI Chairman Jared Blum regarding his visit to the 2014 International Solar Decathlon held at the Versailles grounds, highlighting student-led innovations in sustainable architecture, energy efficiency, and urban retrofitting.

• The 2014 International Solar Decathlon was a 17-day exhibition held at the Versailles grounds featuring over 20 universities globally, including U.S. competitors Brown University/Rhode Island School of Design and Appalachian State University (ASU).
• Competition entries were evaluated by judges across several categories: architecture, communications, energy efficiency, engineering and construction, and sustainability. Participants were restricted to 5 Kwh of electricity production from PV systems to power appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioning, washers, and dryers.
• The event showcased diverse sustainable building strategies, including the Appalachian State University modular town home designed for collective urban buildings, the Berlin Rooftop Project's use of abandoned rooftop space for studios, and Delft University's 'second skin' approach to retrofitting poorly insulated townhomes, which constitute over 60 percent of Dutch homes.

APA

Blum, J. (2014). French Kings, Solar Power and Sustainability. Environmental and Energy Study Institute. https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/french-kings-solar-power-and-sustainability

Chicago

Blum, Jared. French Kings, Solar Power and Sustainability. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 2014. https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/french-kings-solar-power-and-sustainability.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Blum |first1=Jared |title=French Kings, Solar Power and Sustainability |publisher=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |date=16 July 2014 |url=https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/french-kings-solar-power-and-sustainability |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{blum2014french, author = {Blum, Jared}, title = {{French Kings, Solar Power and Sustainability}}, publisher = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2014}, month = jul, url = {https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/french-kings-solar-power-and-sustainability}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }