US university takes solar decathlon crown

SUSTAINABLE PROJECT

The University of Maryland’s winning WaterShed project features some novel innovations to make the best use of water, in addition to an intriguing waterfall that helps reduce the load on the structure’s air-conditioning system.

First launched in 2002 and running every two years since 2005, the Solar Decathlon challenges student teams from around the world to design, build and operate solar-powered homes that are cost-effective, energy-efficient and appealing to the eye.  The overall winner of the competition, judged in 10 categories, is the team that “best blends affordability, consumer appeal and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency.”

This year’s challenge saw 19 solar-powered houses being constructed in the Solar Village at the National Mall’s West Potomac Park in Washington, DC, seven of which managed to produce more energy than they consumed despite a mostly cloudy competition week.

Some 4,000 student representatives from five countries took part;  the overseas teams came from Belgium, Canada, China and New Zealand.

Besides a rooftop-mounted photovoltaic array, the overall winner,  Team WaterShed from Maryland University in the U.S., also incorporates technologies aimed at more effectively managing water use – recycling grey water from washing machines and the bathroom and reusing collected rainwater.  Another water-based feature is the liquid waterfall that absorbs moisture from the air to help reduce the load on the structure’s air-conditioners.

Designed as a home/office with sustainable living in mind, WaterShed features a small vegetable garden, vertical gardens with vine crops (such as blackberry and grape), and a green roof covering 312 sq. ft.  There is also a built-in home automation system that monitors and adjusts environmental systems.

The runners-up

Only a few points behind Maryland was another U S university team, from Purdue, whose INhome project (short for Indiana home) features a self-watering vertical wall of plants that helps clear the air of contaminants, a water heater that makes use of ambient air inside the house to produce hot water, and passive air ventilation that combines manual and automated control.  The home’s interior has been designed to make use of recycled materials, and there are 36 roof-mounted solar panels to help meet its own energy needs. Coming in third was the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, whose green home was inspired by the traditional Kiwi  holiday home. A glazed central section and triple-glazed skylight allow natural light to flood into the house.  Being prefabricated and modular, the home lends itself to easy transportation and installation.

The last two of the top five runners-up were from the US:  Middlebury College (Vermont), whose two-bedroom home features 11-inch-thick insulated walls to fend off Vermont’s cold winter months, a 30-panel solar array on the gable roof, and a ventilation system that pulls in cooler air from the ground and expels warm air from skylights;  and Ohio State University, whose family home for three benefits from triple-glazing throughout, a unique solar thermal hot air system, and a touchscreen monitoring and control interface.

Another U S entry, the Solar Homestead from Appalachian State University in North Carolina, captured the public’s imagination and won the ‘People’s Choice’ award. The homestead’s design features include a large outdoor living space (‘The Great Porch’) and  42 photovoltaic panels to provide energy and offer filtered daylight.