Introduction

The University of Maryland is excited to be participating in the Solar Decathlon, an intercollegiate and interdisciplinary design and construction competition!

Robyn inspects a solar panel. Photo credit John T. Consoli

The University of Maryland Solar Decathlon team includes a diverse group of students. With backgrounds in Engineering (particularly Mechanical and Civil), Architecture, Urban Planning, and Computer Science, University of Maryland students work together to build a house that is powered entirely by the sun.

Architectural drawing of our solar powered house

The Solar Decathlon competition is sponsored by the Department of Energy, and National Renewable Energy Laboratory. There are currently fourteen colleges from across the country participating in the event.

The University of Maryland Solar Decathlon house will prove that our modern lifestyles are capable of being powered by the sun and nothing else. The team is building an attractive, modern house that will collect all of the energy it needs from nothing but captured sunshine that lands on the house. This is the future of housing and domestic energy production, and the University of Maryland Solar Decathlon Team is bringing it to you.

The National Mall in Washington, D.C.

The house was built on campus in College Park, Maryland and transported to the National Mall in Washington, DC in September of this year. The competition will run for three weeks in which time teams will be judged in ten different contests just like an athletic decathlon.

The Ten Contests:

• Design and Livability
• Design Presentation and Simulation
• Graphics and Communication
• The Comfort Zone-Heating and Cooling
• Refrigeration
• Hot Water
• Energy Balance
• Lighting
• Home Business
• Getting Around-Electric Car

The competition aims to demonstrate that solar power is readily available, practical, and attractive to the general public.

Our construction site!

The Maryland team will prove that solar energy can improve everybody's quality of life and promote energy efficiency. The competition will showcase market-ready technologies that collect solar energy and/or conserve energy. The competition is a learning experience for everybody involved - the solar decathletes, the campus community, and the general public.

Enjoy browsing this website. The team would greatly appreciate any questions or comments you may have. Please check back often as the house progress will be documented on this website. Over the course of the next six months the design for an exciting home will unfold.