University team wins its first Solar Decathlon

This university took its first win in the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon with its entry, WaterShed, a solar-powered home inspired by the Chesapeake Bay.

A team of more than 200 university students and faculty, along with building industry mentors, poured two years of work and $250,000 into the biennial sustainable design competition. The team beat out second-place Purdue University, third-place New Zealand and 16 other national and international groups, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced Saturday.

Team members drew inspiration from the environmental challenges facing the bay to design and construct their entry — a solar-powered house capable of collecting storm water and recycling domestic wastewater.

Decathletes said this local focus made WaterShed unique.

"Definitely one thing that set us apart is we picked this alternate agenda," said Brittany Williams, a faculty advisor and architecture lecturer. "We made sure in all aspects of the house we highlighted water."

The home features a patent-pending indoor waterfall and constructed wetlands, as well as a green roof with plants that keep the home's interior cool.

Judges scored the 19 entries across ten categories. WaterShed placed first in architecture, and tied for first in the hot water and energy balance contests.

The team took first place Saturday by nearly 20 points, but members said it seemed like the overall win was up in the air during the judgement week.

"It's very subjective and it's hard to know what the jury's looking for," Williams said. "And it's hard to know if someone is going to like your house if they only come in for half an hour."

Solar Decathlon teams can prepare for some measured requirements — such as constructing a water-heating system that supplies gallons of boiling water — but team members said half of the judging came down to juried criteria like architecture and market appeal. The team worked to meet both required benchmarks and more subjective measures, members said.

"We also looked into aspects of water conservation because we looked to our local environment and the Chesapeake Bay, and the decisions we make about how we live really have adverse effects on the bay and the surrounding environment," said architecture student leader Lynn Khuu, who graduated from this university last semester.

After countless hours of preparation, some team members said the win felt even sweeter because the group grew so close after working on the project for two years readying for last week's competition in Washington.

"It just feels like a big family now," said Williams. "All the sleepless nights we spent together working on the house, that camaraderie, it's such an intense process."

Others said they not only forged friendships, but also gained knowledge and even met career milestones.

"Until [architects have] seen something [they] draw on paper actually be constructed into a building, there's something missing. And once [they've] seen that, something clicks," Williams said.

Khuu said working on this university's team was unlike any other project she'd experienced.

"This project exceeded my expectations in all ways, the hands-on aspects of it, drawings, communications, everything," she said. "I've been thrust into new roles every day and it's a huge learning experience, it's fantastic."

Williams said she was glad the WaterShed — which had about 234,000 visitors in West Potomac Park last week — helped educate people about the importance of designing and living green.

"Even if they take away something small, like they take a shorter shower, there's a gratification of why we should do projects like this," she said.

lurye@umdbk.com