PLEASANTON, Calif. — The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon was held Oct. 3-13 in Irvine, Calif. Local Simpson Strong-Tie facilities provided product donations to several collegiate teams competing in the decathlon to design, build and operate cost-effective solar-powered houses.

The Simpson Strong-Tie Riverside, Calif., facility sponsored the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) and California Institute of Technology (Caltech) team’s DALE (Dynamic Augmented Living Environment) design. The company donated nearly $3,000 in product for the house along with technical expertise and guidance. The Riverside facility also donated products to the USC School of Architecture team.

The Simpson Strong-Tie Columbus, Ohio, facility sponsored Team Kentuckiana — a collaboration between the University of Louisville, Ball State University and University of Kentucky. The company provided several holdowns, clip angles and screws for their Phoenix House project. More than $1,700 of product was donated.

In 2014, Solar Decathlon Europe will take place in Versailles, France. The event is a complementary competition to the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon created by the Spanish and U.S. governments in 2007. Appalachian State University in North Carolina has teamed up with the Université d’Angers in France for this event. The Simpson Strong-Tie McKinney, Texas, location has donated Strong-Drive® structural wood screws and other connector and fastener products totaling more than $6,000 for the project. The company is also providing training sessions on proper use of its products, along with literature and technical guidance. The project will be constructed exclusively using Simpson Strong-Tie® fasteners and hangers.

For more information, visit www.strongtie.com.