College students are showing off a solar home they designed and built. The competition is going on at the National Mall in Washington D.C. This green report takes us inside Penn State’s 800 square foot home.

Everything in Penn State's entry into the 2009 Solar Decathlon is powered by the sun. Of course, that means solar panels.

Kyle Macht, a Solar Decathlon member, says, "We have 3 solar arrays on the home. The one here is solar hot water collection. Pump-less and control-less, and works off the properties of water."

Other solar panels store energy which is converted and sent to all of the indoor appliances and electronics. Two high efficiency pumps heat and cool the home. And in the kitchen...

"We've got energy efficient, fridge dish washer, washer dryer combo unit, microwave and oven in one," Macht says.

Most everything is space saving, but there is closet space.

"We’re trying to create a home that's affordable, something someone can live in, not just a show piece," says Macht.

The home is hooked to the electric grid... during the day they make more power than they use, then draw some back at night. This is a hands-on experience for about 170 students.

Thomas Rauch, a PSU sophomore, says, "To me this is the apex of my education... this isn't a class."

They hope to show you can have a comfortable house that uses little or no fossil fuels.

"Sustainability and sacrifice aren't synonyms. We can be comfortable and sustainable at the same time," says Rauch.

The Solar Decathlon is open to the public. It's going on now through the 18th on the National Mall in D.C.