Author Archives: maggie haslam

MENTOR INTERVIEW: Charlie Berliner – Construction

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Photo of Charlie Berliner mentoring WaterShed team members

Charlie Berliner Mentoring WaterShed Team Members
Photo Credit: Amy Gardner

One of the more familiar faces on the WaterShed construction site is Charlie Berliner, not just because he’s there a lot, but because he has one of those likeable, magnetic personalities that make him pretty easy to remember. All the students know and like Charlie, and a few can actually do a decent impression of him in a pinch, much to his amusement.

WaterShed is Charlie’s first decathlon experience, but he’s well suited for the job. He is a seasoned general contractor, master craftsperson, and master woodworker with 40 years of practice under his belt. He can think in terms of the building craft and construction while keeping time and sequence in the forefront, making him an ideal mentor for Team Maryland. Charlie also serves as a great motivator, cheerleader, and friend. With all he has taught the students on WaterShed, below Charlie talks about what he has learned from them.

What has been your favorite aspect of working on WaterShed?
CB: The intelligence, interest, humor and enthusiasm of the students.

What do you hope the students take away from working with you on WaterShed?
CB: Good detailing is an essential aspect of good design and good detailing requires knowledge of construction. 

What have you learned from working with the students this year?
CB: Their ability to use electronics for communication and accessing information has accelerated the pace of their learning enormously, without changing the equation of most effort equals most advancement. 

How important are competitions like the Solar Decathlon in respect to the future of architecture, building technology, and construction?
CB: The students who participate in the Solar Decathlon are exposed to every aspect of the practice of architecture, are challenged to create constructible design that they must build successfully and are exposed to the cutting edge of building technology. 

What do you hope people will take away from WaterShed when they visit it on the Mall in September?
CB: Thoughtful design trumps bigness.

STUDENT INTERVIEW: Nick Weadock – Engineering

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Team Leader Nick Weadock Working
Photo Credit: Amy Gardner

Nick Weadock was an ideal candidate for developing and installing WaterShed’s mechanical systems. While the whole team has a vested interest in a top performing AC unit, Nick has a little more at stake; he will need the assurance of a cool kitchen when he and a handful of other team members cook two multiple course meals in it during competition week.

Engineer by day, culinary guru by night, Nick not only had a hand in WaterShed’s mechanicals, he is heading up the dinner parties that are part of the home entertainment contest, one of 10 contests WaterShed will be judged on during the Decathlon. Nick, who is a Materials Science and Engineering major, helped plan the two menus (the contest contains two separate parties), as well as scouted the local and seasonal ingredients to cook with. Below Nick discusses the beauty of air conditioning in July and the two knives he never leaves home without.

What has been your personal WaterShed moment so far?
NW: Getting the mini-splits installed in the house so everyone can have A/C while working inside.

Talk about an unexpected, amazing, frightening or unlikely experience while working on WaterShed:
NW: I went to pick up some duct fittings from a duct manufacturer and ended up getting a tour of the whole facility and learned how spiral and rectangular duct is made.

What has been your most important learning experience on the project?
NW: I have learned much about the design build process, I am more used to writing procedures for an experiment and executing it than developing it as I go like with WaterShed.

Has working on WaterShed personally affected the way you use water?
NW: I drink a lot more water now I’ve been working outside all summer.

Has working on WaterShed influenced your career path at all, and if so, how?
NW: Working on WaterShed has shown me what sort of materials are used and needed in the green building industry. While my current career interests do not lie in building materials, it is definitely an interesting area of study.

When people come to visit WaterShed on the Mall in September, what do you hope they will take away from the experience?
NW: I hope they learn all green technologies are not super expensive or difficult to install, and they consider retrofitting some into their own homes.

What do you always have with you on the job site?
NW: An 11 in 1 screwdriver, Wüsthof Classic Ikon 8” Chef’s Knife, Wüsthof Paring Knife, All-Clad Stainless Steel 6qt Saute Pan, Extech RHT10 Temperature and Humidity Datalogger.

MENTOR INTERVIEW: Michael Lawrence – Communications

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Mike Lawrence Talking with WaterShed Team Members
Photo Credit: Amy Gardner

Millions of people step through the doors of the National Museum of Natural History every year, coming from all parts of the world to marvel in the spectacular sites the museum has to offer. Many of its guests are repeat visitors, as there are always things to see or re-visit, always something new to learn. That is primarily due to the hard work of Michael Lawrence, who has been Chief of Design since 2007 at the museum, and who has over 13 years of experience in planning and designing exhibits. Michael is also a registered Architect of over 22 years, making him an ideal mentor for WaterShed.

While the house takes shape on site, Michael has helped the team shape their graphics and develop visitor information behind the scenes for the hundreds of people who will descend on WaterShed during the competition. A first time mentor for Team Maryland, Michael talks about the rewards of helping out with their 2011 entry below.

What has been your favorite aspect of working on WaterShed?
ML: Witnessing the creative and passionate environmental commitment of the team.

What do you hope the students take away from working with you on WaterShed?
ML: Since I primarily worked with the team involved in delivering information to visitors, I hope my experience in developing communication graphics at the Museum gave some insights into how audiences can be enticed to engage with an exhibit.

What have you learned from working with the students this year?
ML: Architecture school is still as grueling, exasperating, and rewarding as I remember…

How important are competitions like the Solar Decathlon in respect to the future of architecture, building technology, and construction?
ML: I think they can be enormously informative to a wide and growing audience but I wonder if they reach the real power-brokers when it comes to housing: the mega home-builders like Pulte and Toll Brothers. True impact will be felt when whole developments are designed and built incorporating Solar Decathlon concepts.

What do you hope people will take away from WaterShed when they visit it on the Mall in September?
ML: How wonderful it can be to live gently upon and fully within the natural world.  

MENTOR INTERVIEW: Dan Vlacich – Engineering

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Dan Vlacich, Engineering Mentor; 2005, 2007, & 2011 Team Maryland Alumnus
Photo Credit: Amy Gardner

When Dan Vlacich steps onto the WaterShed construction site, the team is not only benefiting from his extensive knowledge and expertise in electrical and PV systems, but occasionally, free labor. “I’ll take any chance I can get to play with power tools,” says Dan, who is eager to pitch in wherever there’s a need. And with two previous decathlons under his belt (he participated in 2005 as a student and mentored in 2007), he also brings a breadth of experience that can provide WaterShed students a leg up in the competition.

A 2005 Maryland grad with a degree in engineering, Dan has been sharing his solar energy know-how since the very beginning. Below Dan talks about mentoring and the importance of green technologies.

What has been your favorite aspect of working on WaterShed?
DV: I think the best part for me is when the students don’t understand something / need to learn something new, and one day it finally “clicks” for them. There are a lot of moments like that for the team dealing with the electrical/PV system.  It’s a good feeling to know you taught something that really sunk in.

What do you hope the students take away from working with you on WaterShed?
DV: No matter what career path you take after college, there are some things you learn in Solar Decathlon that are always applicable.  Even though I don’t install solar energy systems for a living (though I used to once), I have learned skills I continue to use, like how to install/repair home electrical systems. Not to mention working on a team, dealing with tough deadlines, and how to “stick with” something even though it might be difficult.

What have you learned from working with the students this year?
DV: Every time we participate in the Solar Decathlon, our students seem to come up with designs that are more and more challenging to design and build, in terms of both the engineering and the architecture.  But somehow, they always come with up creative ways to make it work.  It has forced me to learn some new things and get better at thinking outside the box.

How important are competitions like the Solar Decathlon in respect to the future of architecture, building technology, and construction?
DV: VERY… As the years progress we are going to have fewer energy sources but increased demand.  We need to promote conservation, renewable energy, and sustainability, and incorporate them into our design philosophies, construction, and operation of our buildings.  The Solar Decathlon provides a good forum to test new technologies and show people that “green” technologies can really work.

What do you hope people will take away from WaterShed when they visit it on the Mall in September?
DV: That renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability are things we really need to take seriously, and that it isn’t all that hard to incorporate some of the things from the Solar Decathlon (whether buying something that is more efficient, or simply changing our habits) in our everyday lives.  Also, it’s important for them to see that the University of Maryland is a leader in promoting these practices and preparing our students for jobs in these types of industries.

MENTOR INTERVIEW: Mautaz Ezzat – Construction

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Mautaz Ezzat, Mentor for both LEAFHouse and WaterShed
Photo Credit: Amy Gardner

When you have to build a house, break it into pieces, and re-build it in a matter of days, it helps to have a professional on board with some perspective. Enter Mautaz (Taz) Ezzat, President of Maryland Custom Builders. Taz has been a key mentor and close friend to the WaterShed team since Day One.

Taz, who pitched in during the 2007 competition and who has a mountain of expertise in building and moving modular homes, provided the team guidance in the design, making sure it could be transported in a cost-efficient manner to the National Mall for competition. A builder and developer for over 25 years, Taz’s company was also the first to lay hands on WaterShed, performing the framing at their retail custom modular factory, ProBuilt Homes, this past winter. Below Taz talks about how the future of home building can be found at the Solar Decathlon.

What has been your favorite aspect of working on WaterShed?
TE: The students! Watching their faces see this project come to fruition has absolutely been fantastic.

What do you hope the students take away from working with you on WaterShed?
TE: I hope all of the students have learned they can accomplish anything they put their minds to do. Simply put, if there’s a will, there’s a way! Study the project, then all available options, and tackle the task at hand with eternal optimism all the while ignoring all pessimism. The results will astound them!

What have you learned from working with the students this year?
TE: I’ve learned to let my phone go to voice mail when Amy’s number appears (just kidding!). However, the students have taught me a few things:

  1. You can never have enough bottle jacks.
  2. Designing and building smaller, more efficient, sustainable homes is the way of the future.

How important are competitions like the Solar Decathlon in respect to the future of architecture, building technology, and construction?
TE: This competition is vital to the program as well as the industry. The various schools that compete all bring different ideas and ways they’ve implemented them to the Mall for all to see and compare. These ideas and exhibits reopen our eyes to what’s currently available for the industry to integrate in new homes. Many times we don’t have the time to readily research what’s new on the market or what makes sense to pursue further. The students, in conjunction with our instantaneous information system on the internet, bring these ideas together, not just in magazines or on-line, but in actual form for all to see, feel, and touch. Quite frankly, this competition is priceless!

What do you hope people will take away from WaterShed when they visit it on the Mall in September?
TE: It is my hope visitors from all parts of the US and abroad see their home, new or older, can have some, if not all, of the energy-saving and sustainable features these homes offer. More importantly, this current generation of students brings much needed bright ideas to the industry of architects and building segment as they never tire from researching and asking themselves, “What if……..?”

Pursuing a Patent for “Green” Cooling System

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The dust hadn’t yet begun to settle from the Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2007, and Amy Gardner, LEAFHouse architecture faculty advisor, was hoping to return to her old routine. One of the things that could no longer be ignored (besides a good night sleep) was her e-mail, which was reaching capacity. Soon she realized why.

Photo of the liquid desiccant wall in leafhouse living room

Liquid Desiccant Wall in LEAFHouse Living Room
Photo Credit: Amy Gardner

Among the well wishes of a job well done – the team placed second in the competition – were a multitude of e-mails from businesses, architects, hotels, and homeowners writing to find out how they could get their hands on the indoor liquid desiccant waterfall (LDW), a prominent eco-feature in LEAFHouse’s design.

“There was an explosion of interest in the LDW, from the most far-flung and varied of audiences imaginable,” says Gardner. “All were eager to buy, steal, borrow, or design and build their own, if they could just get their hands on more information.”

Now a group of engineering and architecture students and advisors from the UMD Solar Decathlon 2007 team are pursuing a patent for a prototype cooling system that cuts the humidity in the house by over half, saves energy, and in the right climate, can eliminate the need for an air conditioner all together.

The system is a desiccant dehumidifier; its function is to help cool the house by lowering humidity. Unlike traditional dehumidifiers that condense moisture in the air, a desiccant system actually absorbs the air’s moisture, pulling it into the liquid desiccant and then, by heating the liquid, diverts the moisture out of the system, re-concentrating the desiccant to cycle back again into the house.

This type of system isn’t new; it is used often in commercial installations in either a solid or liquid form to combat moisture and corrosion as well as regulate humidity. What makes Team Maryland’s system unique is its modified form and function; small enough to use residentially, and in its waterfall delivery, a stylish architectural element.

“Because the space in the house was so small, we were trying to find a way to highlight the system, not just make it useful,” explains Brittany Williams, who was the architecture project team leader on the project. “That’s where the waterfall design comes into play.”

THE IDEA BEHIND THE DESIGN

The idea to install the system came during a talk given by Dr. Reinhard Radermacher, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and one of the world’s leading authorities on the subject. His lecture, which focused on energy-efficient cooling and heating technology, including desiccant in both liquid and solid forms.

“He said, sort of nonchalantly, ‘you could probably implement this as a water feature in the house’,” explains Tyler Sines, a 2008 Engineering graduate and LEAFHouse engineering team leader. “This totally clicked with the team and we started brainstorming ideas.”

The team tossed around several possibilities, including an indoor fountain or pond. In the end, a waterfall was the easiest to do, from both an engineering and safety standpoint. Plus, it could be seamlessly integrated into the house’s architecture as a central focal element, akin to a fireplace.

Photo of detail of liquid desiccant wall in LEAFHouse

Detail of Liquid Desiccant Wall in LEAFHouse
Photo Credit: Amy Gardner

Once the method of delivery had been decided, the team started developing the system. The biggest challenge was that this had never been done, and the team wanted to build a system both aesthetically pleasing as well as efficient. There were “learn-as-you-go” moments throughout. For instance, they could not use any metal; the sodium chloride that made up the desiccant would quickly corrode it. High temperature plastic and titanium were used in its place.

When the construction and fine-tuning was complete, the system was installed and tested, just a month before the house moved to the National Mall.

“One of our challenges with the LDW was advancing the engineering design and the architectural design, so that both design efforts were strengthened by the other,” explained Gardner. “Succeeding in doing so was the basis for the success of the device. When it was tested – literally in the 11th hour – it was one of those moments when we realized this is what we are here for, this is why we embarked on another Solar Decathlon project.”

PURSUING THE PATENT

The public response was, indeed, overwhelming. Within a month of the competition, hundreds of e-mails were clogging the inboxes of Brubaker, Gardner, Sines, and other team members. A luxury hotel chain wanted to put one in each of their rooms. The competition judges made note of its innovation. Press took notice too; it was even featured in a decathlon piece on CBS’s “Sunday Morning”. That is when the team started discussing the patent.

“We were just inundated with e-mails,” said Tyler. “How do I get one? Can you send me drawings? How does it work? What’s the efficiency? That’s when we all thought: maybe we should patent this.”

A handful of team and faculty members – Tyler Sines, Tony Giampapa, John Kucia, Dr. Reinhard Radermacher, Dr. Kaye Brubaker, and Amy Gardner – formed an LLC and began the process. Initial business plans, which were spearheaded by Sines, took first place in the undergraduate division of the 2008 UMD Business Plan Competition and fetched a first runner-up in the MIT Mid-Atlantic Business Plan Competition. The patent, which was submitted in October 2009, will probably take another 18 months to go through, due to a backlog in the US Patent Department. Once the patent is approved, the team can fine-tune the design. And while it was only used to remove moisture from the air in LEAFHouse, it has the potential to also add moisture, to humidify a home in colder weather.

“I could see this system used in atriums, restaurants, high-end residences, wherever a waterfall is a welcome architectural feature, especially when it dries the air in summer and humidifies it in winter,” says Radermacher.  “There is unlimited potential.”

THE WATERFALL RETURNS WITH WATERSHED

While the ’07 decathlon veterans pursue a patent, the second generation of the desiccant waterfall is debuting with the 2011 team, and its project called WaterShed. Using the LEAFHouse model as a foundation, the most notable change is the use of lithium chloride in the liquid desiccant. While this makes for a more costly unit, it will increase the amount of time the desiccant can be used before being recycled. Because WaterShed’s layout is made up of two shed modules, providing a live/work environment, a system will be installed in each.

As the WaterShed team gets closer to competition, there has been a resurgence of interest in the technology. When the patent does goes through, the team has plenty of options: partner with one of the handful of companies that expressed interest, sell it off, or possibly create and sell it themselves.

During his free time, Tyler Sines keeps careful tabs on the patent, shepherding that process forward. “It’s amazing,” said Sines. “It’s always been a lifelong goal, to invent something useful – now I can cross that off my list.”

MENTOR INTERVIEW: Evan Merkel – Engineering

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LEAFHouse Alum and WaterShed Mentor Evan Merkel
Photo Credit: Amy Gardner

When Evan Merkel caught wind Maryland would be participating in Solar Decathlon 2011, volunteering as a mentor was a no-brainer. A photovoltaic design engineer by trade, Evan is one of a handful of mentors who has been on both sides of the coin; he was also a dedicated team leader for Maryland’s 2007 entry, LEAFHouse. Although Evan majored in electrical engineering, he eagerly pitched in wherever he could to support his team, which included leading the structural engineering and cost-estimating efforts for LEAFHouse.

Returning as a WaterShed mentor lets Evan revisit his familiar stomping grounds, and share what he’s learned in the field with the next generation of Decathletes. He helped the team design the photovoltaic systems for the roof, comparing different technologies and products. He also guided students throughout the wiring and installation process. As in 2007, Evan is a devoted and hard-working member of Maryland’s Solar Decathlon team. Below he talks about the accessibility of green living and the practical value of the Solar Decathlon.

What has been your favorite aspect of working on WaterShed?
EM: My favorite aspect of the Solar Decathlon has always been working with multidisciplinary teams to accomplish a common goal. The variety of backgrounds and perspectives keeps things interesting.

What do you hope the students take away from working with you on WaterShed?
EM: A passion for the renewables/sustainables industry of course, but more importantly the desire to innovate in their careers.

What have you learned from working with the students this year?
EM: Working with the students this year has reinforced for me how important real-life applications are in school and how crucial that first year jump after college is. There should be more programs like Solar Decathlon in schools!

How important are competitions like the Solar Decathlon in respect to the future of architecture, building technology, and construction?
EM: Programs like SD are so vital to providing students with actual applications they will encounter in their careers but in a more controlled environment. They are essential to seamlessly transitioning into any career. As I mentioned, real-world experience where students can put what they learn into practice is invaluable.

What do you hope people will take away from WaterShed when they visit it on the Mall in September?
EM: I hope people realize when it comes to living and building more sustainably, there is something for everyone’s price range. There are many ways, even in a modestly sized house, to improve efficiency and eco-friendliness. Some people tend to think this stuff is just for the die-hard tree-huggers but the things demonstrated at the Solar Decathlon are everyone’s future.

STUDENT INTERVIEW: Lynn Khuu – Architecture

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Lynn Khuu, Team Leader, Working on Site
Photo Credit: Aditya Gaddam

One of the most amazing aspects of WaterShed is that the beautiful structure soon to be on display on the National Mall once resided simply on a piece of paper; an idea sprung from the collective creativity and ingenuity of a handful of students. One of those students is Lynn Khuu.

Lynn, who received the Master of Architecture degree this past spring, started her WaterShed odyssey in the spring of 2010 during a topical studio, as part of the master program. There she and a group of dedicated peers researched, sketched, and designed the concept proposal that nabbed them one of the 20 coveted entries into this year’s decathlon. Since then, Lynn has dedicated herself to various aspects of team communications and sponsorship, including outreach, public exhibit materials, and the website. Below Lynn talks about the rewards of the process and the importance of water conservation.

What has been your personal WaterShed moment so far?
LK: I think it’s seeing the whole design process in action and challenging innovation. It’s not everyday a student or young professional is exposed to all the different responsibilities and parts of the process in a single project. The whole project is organized yet chaotic at the same time. Everyone is wearing a number of different hats and we’re all learning together. And through the process, it’s great to see how a design concept has developed through the labor of several semesters to become this very tangible and inhabitable home.

Talk about an unexpected, amazing, frightening, or unlikely experience while working on WaterShed:
LK: I don’t think this qualifies for any of the above, but at one point while driving, I considered stopping on the side of the road to take pictures of grasses for a rendering. Not too sure where my mind was.

On a serious note though, I really admire the team’s drive and dedication (even as teammates are always joking around). I remember everyone being stranded at home due to a blizzard prior to the concept design submittal. We somehow found our way onto skype for studio and trekked our way to the architecture building over the weekend. There is always an overwhelming amount of work to be done and pulling together and a “can do” attitude goes a long way.

What has been your most important learning experience on the project?
LK: It’s sort of difficult to say. Every part of the project offers an invaluable educational experience. I think the top ones for me are interdisciplinary teamwork and the opportunity of being thrust into new or different roles/situations that you may not experience otherwise. It’s a chance to step into another person’s shoes and see things from different perspectives.

Has working on WaterShed personally affected the way you use water?
LK: Definitely. It’s one of those things where once you’ve learned the facts and realize the impact of water on your life, it’s difficult to not try to do anything about it. It’s not that I didn’t try to conserve water before becoming involved with this project, but working on WaterShed has made me more conscientious of design decisions and daily activities. It’s inspired me to be more thoughtful about ways water could be conserved or reused – for instance, collecting water from a dehumidifier to water plants instead of pouring it down the drain and later turning on the hose outside to water the plants. And strangely, it bothers me whenever I see people running the sprinkler (especially if they’re watering the sidewalk) or irrigating plants around mid-day now; I just want to ask them to turn off the water until it’s cooler out.

Has working on WaterShed influenced your career path?
LK: I don’t know that it has changed my career path, but it has certainly reinforced my interest in sustainable design. I’ve always felt sustainability should be intuitive to the design process and creation of the built environment and it’s certainly something I continue to strive for.

When people come to visit WaterShed on the Mall in September, what do you hope they will take away from the experience?
LK: I simply hope visitors feel inspired. Living sustainably doesn’t have to be difficult and if our design can provoke people to question the way they live, demonstrate everyday applicability, and influence a person to make one small change, we are all one step closer to addressing the growing environmental issues we face.

How do you spend your free time when you’re not on the job site?
LK: Free time? What’s that? I feel awful that I haven’t spent much time with family and friends over the past few years as the result/combination of school, thesis, and working on this project, so I try to find time to see them. I also have a lot of cleaning to do that I’ve yet to touch. It’s like an explosion of paper and projects in the basement.

STUDENT INTERVIEW: Allison Wilson – Architecture

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Allison Wilson, Team Leader, Presenting at ShedRaising
Photo Credit: Thai Nyugen

Allison Wilson doesn’t have a lot of free time on her hands. Since graduating with her Master of Architecture degree in May, she has started a new job with Ayers Saint Gross, a Baltimore-based architecture firm, while commuting regularly to the WaterShed construction site. It turns out that just because they give you a degree, doesn’t mean your work is done. And as Allison has been involved with WaterShed since day one, she has every intention of seeing it through.

Serving as Primary Student Contact, Allison – who is originally from Randolph, New Jersey – spends a lot of time on the construction site, wearing many hats. Architecture. Project Management. Construction. Communications. Staging. Outreach. Public relations. Fundraising. Project manual. Competition strategy. She is a catch-all, and her resume is extensive. She has found many rewards from her time on WaterShed; new friends, new skills, and a new job. Allison explains all of this- and what she hopes people take away from WaterShed – below.

What has been your personal WaterShed moment so far?
AW: My most rewarding moments have been sharing our house with kids. When we’ve done outreach events for the public such as Maryland Day, there’s been nothing more fun than showing kids what their imaginations can do when they grow up a little bit. The project itself can be complicated and stressful, but talking to kids is a huge stress-reliever. They are so accepting of WaterShed’s narrative; they look at it and basically see a big doll house. I think since it’s a small house, it feels more on their scale.

What did you most want to learn by being a part of WaterShed?
AW: I most wanted to learn what my drawings actually meant. I spent six years going through undergrad and grad school at Maryland and I got a good handle on how to design a building and how to represent my ideas verbally and graphically, but it never clicked for me how a building actually gets put together – no matter how many wall sections I drew, I just couldn’t get it. Building WaterShed and seeing the layers of a building come together and how they get fastened and why things happen in a certain order has been really rewarding for me. I can now say I have a much better handle on how the drawings we make as architects actually get a building built the way we intend it to be.

What’s an aspect of the project you value most?
AW: The best part of WaterShed is getting to work with people other than my studio classmates who I see every day. Getting the chance to work with all the different engineers, mentors, and environmental science students has rounded out my sustainable education, giving me a broad-based understanding of how to make better buildings. Architecture is so much bigger than architects, and if we’re going to achieve a sustainable future, we need to be crossing industry lines.

There are literally hundreds of heroes on this team who have saved the day in countless ways. My teammates have stepped up to the plate with both pre-existing knowledge and the ability to quickly learn new things in a way that amazes me. Beyond the team-related things, it’s great to know that we’re friends too. We come out to watch each other’s thesis presentations, celebrate birthdays, go to concerts and sports games, and hang out on Friday nights. Our greatest success is designing and building a house on a very tight schedule and still wanting to be friends at the end of the process.

Has working on WaterShed influenced your career path?
AW: WaterShed helped me get my first professional job after graduation. We pitched WaterShed to Ayers Saint Gross, a Baltimore-based architecture and planning firm, in December looking for sponsorship. At the end of the meeting, not only had they bought into supporting WaterShed and its mission to educate the public about the relationship between buildings and water, but I had also convinced them to interview me for a position following graduation. My interview in early spring was successful, and since I graduated in May I’ve been simultaneously working at Ayers Saint Gross in Baltimore and working on completing WaterShed.

When people come to visit WaterShed on the Mall in September, what do you hope they will take away from the experience?
AW: I hope WaterShed teaches people that they have the power to change the way their built environment impacts the natural world. We’re surrounded by decisions every day – everything from how our doors work to what a can opener looks like – and most people take that at face value as the way things should be. WaterShed shows that all of those decisions make an impact on our environment and hopefully people who visit will be a little more aware of what their decisions mean to our planet.

What do you always have with you on the job site?
AW: I always have my pink hardhat and my pink tools which were Christmas gifts from my parents. It’s been kind of awesome for them because my mom and dad watch the webcam and can always find me because I’m the only one on site walking around in a pink hardhat.

How do you spend your time when you’re not on the job site?
AW: Trying to fix my heinous construction tan lines. The T-shirt tan is not my favorite look, so when I get a chance it’s really nice to be outside enjoying the sunshine.

MENTOR INTERVIEW: Frederick Werth – Engineering

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Frederick Werth, Master Plumber, Mentoring Team Member
Photo credit: Aditya Gaddam

Fred Werth is exactly what everyone wants in a master plumber: he’s always there when you need him, he’s enthusiastic, talented, and generous with his time. So generous in fact, during the 2007 Solar Decathlon, where he served as a mentor for LEAFHouse, he pitched in to help several teams – not just Maryland – during the hectic assembly period.

A master plumber and gas fitter for more than 30 years, Fred has been helping the WaterShed team on several systems, including mechanical, solar, and water. He has worked closely with the students throughout the process, connecting them with suppliers and manufacturers in the business. Fred has been more than a great teacher – he has been a real partner for the team. Below Fred talks about the rewards of working with team WaterShed.

What has been your favorite aspect of working on WaterShed?
FW: My favorite aspect of the Solar Decathlon is communicating with the students and attempting to figure out problems together. It’s been very rewarding.

What do you hope the students take away from working with you on WaterShed?
FW: Mostly, I hope they have fun. But I also hope they come away with a sense of wonder, that they have created a beautiful structure that began as a dream in someone’s mind.

What have you learned from working with the students this year?
FW: I need to step back and let them do it.

How important are competitions like the Solar Decathlon in respect to the future of architecture, building technology, and construction?
FW: In my work, I often only see a small part of the picture; I see drawings of a building and have no idea how it will be built. With the Solar Decathlon the students actually see, sense, and touch every aspect of what they are creating. The S.D. is very important.

What do you hope people will take away from WaterShed when they visit it on the Mall in September?
FW: We have the ability to create and shape our future beautifully.