UMD Accepted to Energy Department's 2017 Solar Decathlon Competition

UMD Accepted to Energy Department's 2017 Solar Decathlon Competition

A group of University of Maryland (UMD) students, mentors, and faculty has been elected as one of the 16 collegiate teams who will participate in the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2017 Solar Decathlon. The UMD team will combine the efforts of students from a variety of disciplines across the university, including architecture, engineering, environmental science and technology, plant sciences, and numerous others.

The Solar Decathalon is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with a focus on challenging students to harness the possibilities of clean energy and energy efficient construction. For the first time in the competition’s history, the DOE will offer monetary prizes. 

This year will be the fifth time that UMD has been selected to compete and build a house that is fully and creatively powered by solar energy. Maryland's WaterShed entry took first place in the competition in 2011 and was lauded for its focus on water conservation as well as energy efficiency and architectural design.

The principal investigators of the 2017 team are:

• Professor Raymond Adomaitis, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Institute for Systems Research
• Professor Garth Rockcastle, School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• Lecturer Michael Binder, School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation

The 16 teams from across the United States will soon commence the nearly two-year-long process of building solar-powered houses that are affordable, innovative, and highly energy-efficient. The comprehensive judging rubric will also take into account 10 factors, including the house’s market appeal, comfort, structural engineering, hot water systems, and more. The elite international competition will take place in mid-2017; the location has yet to be announced.

Follow the UMD team's progress at: www.sd2017.umd.edu

Learn more about the Solar Decathlon: www.solardecathlon.gov

February 8, 2016