Sea levels are rising, threatening coastal areas, including cities, around the world. … A new research grant is looking at the idea of reflooding lowland depressions to alleviate the problem on the coasts, starting with the Qattara Depression, a massive low-lying desert area in western Egypt.

Among the competitors this year is the first from Orange County since the Solar Decathlon began. Team Orange, as it’s called, consists of a core group of 20 students from UC Irvine, Chapman University, Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College, all of whom have collaborated with another 100 students on the home they call Casa Del Sol, or House of the Sun.