News Analysis

University of Maryland Wins Fifth Solar Decathlon

The University of Maryland’s “WaterShed” house was inspired by the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. The home incorporates a green roof, rainwater harvesting, a modular constructed wetland that treats graywater, an edible wall, and vegetable gardens built into the deck. Two liquid-desiccant dehumidifying waterfalls use a saline solution to control indoor humidity. Heat from the rooftop solar hot water system is used to remove moisture from the saline solution outside of the home. The roof is also equipped with a 9.2 kW photovoltaic (PV) system. WaterShed also won the architecture competition and tied for first in the hot water and energy balance competitions.

In second place, Purdue’s “INhome” is meant to be affordable and blend into a midwestern subdivision. Its passive design maximizes solar heat gain, daylighting, and natural ventilation; the house also incorporates ultra-efficient heat-pump-based heating, cooling, and hot water systems. The 8.6 kW PV array provided enough power for the home. INhome tied for first in energy balance and scored solidly on the remaining competitions but was held back by a low score in architecture.

Published November 1, 2011

Dick, E. (2011, November 1). University of Maryland Wins Fifth Solar Decathlon. Retrieved from https://www.buildinggreen.com/news-analysis/university-maryland-wins-fifth-solar-decathlon