Academic Programs > AGNR Academic Departments > ENST Home > > ENST Students To Design a Green Wall For Solar Decathlon House Called WaterShed

ENST Students To Design a Green Wall For Solar Decathlon House Called WaterShed

Dr. David Tilley’s students plan to build a green wall inspired by his research in the nation’s capital. The wall will be part of a house built on the National Mall for the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2011 Solar Decathlon.

Tilley is one of several faculty members helping students prepare the University of Maryland’s entry, which will feature a green wall as part of an integrated living system that helps save water and uses it on site to create edible and medicinal products, clean water and a beautiful look.

GREEN WALL

ENST student Scott Tjaden constructed a scaled down model wetland that is going to be built to be part of WaterShed. The model consists of a replica of the two roof materials (solar panels and green roof) and two different wetland models that function differently. These two roofs will affect runoff differently to the wetland and surrounding areas with respect to water retention (green roof) and direct runoff (solar panels). “The wetland will run through the spine of the house and help to filter the rain and greywater produced by the house,” explains Scott.  “This scale model of the house’s functionality has allowed the whole team to further our thoughts and design work with the model and things we learned in mind making it more improved every step we take.”

Every two years, the energy department chooses 20 college teams from around the world to design, build and operate solar- powered houses. They are judged on 10 factors, including afford- ability, design, energy efficiency and attractiveness. The contest is open to the public and seeks to teach visitors how they can use energy-saving features in their own homes. “We hope to inspire as many people as we can when they visit our house on the Nation’s Mall in October 2011,” Tilley says.

The contest also provides students and faculty real-world experience. Mentors, including Tilley and members of Maryland’s architecture and engineering programs, developed courses in which students design, prototype, construct and implement details of the Solar Decathlon house, called WaterShed.

This spring, Tilley taught 15 students interested in living systems and how they could make a home use water and energy more efficiently. Next fall, Tilley will lead capstone projects for environmental science and technology students, where they will build and test specific types of living systems, including a constructed wetland that will be a part of WaterShed. LEAFHouse, Maryland’s 2007 entry, took second place in the international contest. More than 250 agriculture and natural resources, engineering and architecture students will work on the WaterShed entry. 

____________________________________________

ABOUT THE SOLAR DECATHLON
The Solar Decathlon— a worldwide competition held every two years in Washington, DC—challenges 20 collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered homes that are not only energy-efficient and attractive, but also affordable. The houses will be transported to the National Mall for public display in October 2011. The competition’s top prize will go to the team that best balances cost-effectiveness, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency.
MARYLAND IN THE SOLAR DECATHLON
This is the fourth time the University of Maryland has received the honor to compete in the Solar Decathlon. In 2007, Maryland’s LEAFHouse placed first in the nation and second in the world, won the People’s Choice Award, and received a host of other awards from industry and professional associations. Maryland’s 2005 Decathlon entry won the People’s Choice and Solar Innovation awards, and in 2002 we received 4th place in the inaugural Decathlon.

Share on Facebook  Share on Twitter  Share on Digg  Share This ShareThis

For more information, contact Kintija Eigmina, Web and Communications Coordinator

Last updated: 03/8/2011

solar house

The University of Maryland's Watershed embraces an ecosystem model and draws inspiration from natural systems that operate cyclically and sustainably through time.

The house is formed by two rectangular units capped by a butterfly roof, which is well-suited to capturing and using sunlight and rainwater. This spacious and affordable house features: