The Red Wiggler Solar House – a 21st-century farmhouse powered by the sun – was fully installed at the end July as a year-round staff residence. Originally one of 20 entries in the 2005 US Solar Decathlon, the 800-square-foot house is a fully solar-powered prototype designed and built by University of Maryland students for competition on Washington DC’s National Mall; and was generously donated to the farm by the University of Maryland.
The house is grid-tied to the local electric utility, but has been completely self-sufficient – generating enough electricity during peak-demand summer months to power the house (air-conditioning, general electricity, cooking and laundry) and produce extra power that can go back into the grid. The house also has a solar hot-water system.
Join us Oct. 3rd for a free tour of the house and learn more about its eco-friendly features: radiant heating, natural ventilation, recycled and recyclable materials, FSC-certified woods, Energy Star appliances and more.
Useful Links
- Download a free guide or find out where you can pick up a tour booklet for free.
- Get Directions to the Red Wiggler Solar House