A team of students from the University of Maryland took first place in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2011. The super-efficient home they designed, called WaterShed, is powered by a twin focus on efficient, renewable energy and water quality and conservation. According to the university, the house harvests, recycles and reuses water, while harmonizing modernity, tradition, and simple building strategies.
The DOE’s Solar Decathlon challenges teams of college students and faculty to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency.
Panels of experts judge the competing homes on ten dimensions: architectural design, market appeal, engineering, affordability, comfort, hot water systems, appliances, home entertainment, energy balance and the educational/communication effort surrounding the home’s design.
WaterShed was a front-runner in every category, and topped it off with 100% energy efficiency, meaning the home generates as much power as it consumes.
According the University of Maryland, WaterShed integrates a unique array of sustainable features, including:
- Split-butterfly roof, well-suited to capture and use both sunlight and rainwater;
- Constructed wetlands that filter storm water and grey water (household water with limited contaminants);
- Green roof to retain rainwater and promote efficient cooling;
- Photovoltaic array to harvest enough solar energy to power WaterShed year-round;
- Solar thermal array to fulfill all domestic hot water needs;
- “Edible landscapes” that support community-based agriculture;
- Patent-pending indoor, liquid desiccant waterfall for high-efficiency humidity control;
- Efficient, cost-effective, durable and time-tested structural system.
