Solar Solar Decathlon Architecture Winners Showcase Energy Independence
The DOE, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy sponsored the Solar Decathlon in October to find the most attractive and energy efficient solar powered house. The competition was provided by 20 university and college teams from across the globe. Each team had to design, build and operate their home. The winners of the Architecture contest were…
- First Place: Technische Universität Darmstadt
- Second Place: University of Maryland
- Third Place: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
This was the third event with previous ones held in 2002 and 2005. More than 25,000 people attended. After the decathlon most teams take their houses back to their schools where they are used for further research.
The University of Maryland’s house was called a “leaf house” because its roofline resembled a leaf and included a stem and veins running across a skylight. The analogy of the leaf is that it is the original solar collector. The house also used a wall of leaves to capture runoff and the gray water from the sink was channeled into a leafy, rain garden.
The house uses an indoor waterfall to remove moisture from the air making the building easier to cool. The waterfall circulates a liquid desiccant that is recharged outside and then recycled back through the waterfall. Water is heated on the roof to supply faucets and the in-floor heat. Even as the water goes down the drains its heat is recaptured for more use. The insulation in the walls is made of soy, the stove uses magnets to heat pots, and the bed folds into the wall so the space is available for other uses.
So, what would you have to pay for a similar house where you would never have to spend money on utilities? They say $180 a square foot and claim it’s less than the typical architect-designed home in the area. You can read more about it here, and below are pictures of the top Architecture winners in order from top to bottom.
Solar Decathlon 2007 First Place Winner - Darmstadt University
The University of Maryland's entry in the Solar Decathlon for 2007 won second place in the architecture division.
The University of Madrid wins the third Place in the architecture competition for the 2007 Solar Decathlon
