The University of Maryland's WaterShed has won top overall honors in the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon.
The competition pitted university-designed solar-powered homes against each other. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the competition winners on Saturday. Purdue University took second place, followed by New Zealand's Victoria University in third.The competition involved ten contests that gauged each house on factors including performance, liability, and affordability. The winning home had to produce as much or more energy than it consumes.
Maryland's team website describes WaterShed as "a solar-powered home inspired and guided by the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, interconnecting the house with its landscape, and leading its dwellers toward a more sustainable lifestyle." Among the home's features are two main rooms, or modules, connected by a bathroom space; soy-based spray foam insulation; high-efficiency doors and windows that collect solar energy while keeping out solar heat; and reconfigurable furniture. The home is designed to be suitable for a working couple to use as a home and an office.
All of the homes in the competition, including WaterShed, will be on display through Sunday in West Potomac Park.
