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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
Over the past few decades, production of energy through the use of photovoltaic (PV) technology has increased. The past ten years have seen the largest growth in demand for PV modules, with a rate of 35% in 2010 and predicted … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
Jeff Rappaport is looking at a jam-packed fall semester; entering his junior year at Maryland, he not only faces a full course load, he has the little matter of an international solar competition to contend with. One of a handful … Continue reading
Zach Klipstein has been working with his hands for as long as he can remember. He has a list a mile long of projects he’s worked on with his dad in his hometown of Cumberland, Maryland: from building a garage … Continue reading
When visitors file through WaterShed at the Solar Decathlon this fall, they probably won’t know the informative and well-orchestrated tour highlighting the many features of the house was a months-long odyssey for Isabel Enerson. Or that the beautiful plantings were … Continue reading
Building a carbon neutral, state-of-the-art, solar-powered house is not for the faint of heart. It takes a vast and varied team of talented individuals unified with a common goal to create and build something that inspires and educates people about … Continue reading