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
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
WaterShed is designed around the core concept of integration, not only between architecture and landscape, people and nature, but also integration of engineered systems such as the solar thermal array, ventilation, and air-conditioning units. Systems engineering seeks to understand and … Continue reading
The current financial crisis in the United States and worldwide makes it hard for many homeowners to focus on environmental concerns. Business people must keep their eyes on the bottom line in order to survive, and upgrading to the latest … Continue reading
Embodied energy can be helpful when considering which products to use in construction for specific applications. Embodied energy is the energy used in every phase of production, transportation, and assembly of a given product. Determining the actual embodied energy of … Continue reading