Local college students are building the home of the future...today. The University of Illinois is competing in the Solar Decathlon.

A home is being built with wood from an old barn and the deck is from an old grain elevator. Solar panels create three to four times more energy than the home could use, and inside the house, laminated bamboo and tight-sealed windows are just the beginning to energy efficiency. The team building the home wants people to see how they can make their own homes more sustainable.

The home has to ride on a truck out to Washington D.C. to compete in the Solar Decathlon in October. To get more information, click the link below.

University of Illinois 2009 Solar Decathlon