Senator Dave Min Announces OC Fairgrounds to Host Inaugural Orange County Sustainability Decathlon

COSTA MESA, CA — Today, Senator Dave Min (D-Costa Mesa) announced that the inaugural Sustainability Decathlon will be hosted at the Orange County Fairgrounds in fall of 2023. The first of its kind in California, the Orange County Sustainability Decathlon challenges 20 university-led teams from around the world to design and build environmentally sustainable housing for the future. Modeled after the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, the event is made possible through $5 million in seed funding from the State of California obtained by Senator Min in the 2021-22 State Budget, along with private financial support.

“There is no better place to harness innovation than right here in Orange County,” Min said. “The Sustainability Decathlon is our chance to show the world that Orange County can and should be a green hub for research, technology, and high-tech jobs. I am incredibly excited to announce the OC Fair & Event Center as the official host for next year’s event. This event will not only be a huge tourism draw for the region, but I am hopeful that it will also result in important innovations in green housing that we can use to help speed up the transition to a zero emissions economy. I am proud of my role in providing the critical funding for this event.”

"We'd like the Orange County Sustainability Decathlon to be a world's fair of sustainability, where people will be both informed and entertained. The Decathlon will be the catalyst for making OC the sustainability capital of the world,” said Professor Fred Smoller, President and CEO of the Orange County Sustainability Decathlon.

"We are so thrilled to launch the inaugural Orange County Sustainability Decathlon. During a two-week period in October 2023, many of the world's best and brightest students will showcase innovative, net-zero homes of the future at the OC Fair & Event Center. We look forward to an event that will have a positive impact on society,” said Professor Mike Moodian, Cofounder and Co-organizer of the Orange County Sustainability Decathlon.

“The Orange County Sustainability Decathlon will motivate and empower California’s best and brightest to lead the State’s transition to 100% renewables,” said Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine). “The competition will help promote public understanding of solar power and increase the clean-tech workforce.”

# # #