Louisiana campus takes part in green housing competition

LOUISIANA: University of Louisiana at Lafayette shows off solar panel installation

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette showed off a solar panel installation on Monday that will help with the development of its BeauSoleil Louisiana Solar Home project. The project is part the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon.

The international competition includes 20 university and college teams from around the world to encourage the design and construction of attractive, energy-efficient, solar-powered homes.

As part of the competition, the team will be judged in 10 categories, including how much solar energy is produced versus energy used. Teams earn more points if they have net energy.

This is the kind of competition that will prove a win-win for all states -- especially the heat-intense Southern states! As part of Getting Greener: Progressive environmental ideas for the American South, this falls in with general recommendations about "green building" practices -- how they produce energy savings and reduce pollution.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: A talk with Rep. Artur Davis on laid-off workers, stimulus package

ARKANSAS: Gov. Beebe promotes "Say Go College Week"

FLORIDA: Property tax relief a big issue for Gov. Crist, despite city, county objection

GEORGIA: State transportation board threatened by governor-backed new authority

KENTUCKY: Trauma network is under construction by state law

MISSISSIPPI: School districts on the financial edge may make it this year

NORTH CAROLINA: Durham to allow city chickens

SOUTH CAROLINA: Pay-day lending lobbyists proving too powerful in SC

TENNESSEE: USDA reports farms smaller and fewer in Tennessee than a couple of years ago

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine says no more budget cuts

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