21st Century Farm House

Imagine heating and cooling your home with the power of the sun.

Red Wiggler's new farm house does just that - using 21st-century technology to generate power for heating, cooling, electricity, cooking, and for hot water too. The Solar House

Beautiful, conservation-oriented and cost-efficient, it is a living example of sustainable and energy-efficient design.

Who Built It?

The Solar House was designed by an interdisciplinary team of University of Maryland students in architecture, engineering and related fields, and built by students and partners, for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon in 2005.

Originally, the house competed on the National Mall in Washington DC as one of 20 houses built by academic teams - and received the BP Solar "People's Choice" Award by popular vote of the public.

Donated to Red Wiggler by the University of Maryland, the house is a full-time staff residence for the farm.

Learn more about the 2005 University of Maryland Solar Decathlon House at their website at http://www.solardecathlon.gov/past/2005/team_maryland.cfm

Eco-Friendly Features

  • 800-square feet of Comfortable Living Space
  • 51-panel grid-tied solar array
  • E.R.V. for compact central cooling
  • Potential to sell back energy back to local utility company
  • Solar hot-water system with electric backup
  • Energy efficient triple-pane windows and doors
  • Operable windows for natural ventilation
  • Exterior shading devices for windows
  • Radiant in-floor system for efficient heating
  • FSC-certified lumber and bamboo
  • Recycled and recyclable construction materials
  • Appliances with high energy-saving ratings