If you haven’t had a chance to visit the Solar House lately, here is your chance! Our Solar House is participating in this year’s Tour of Solar and Green Homes. Join us this Saturday, October 6 from 11 am to 5 pm.
Learn about the UMD Solar Decathlon entry in 2005, which is now home to Red Wiggler’s Founder and Executive Director Woody Woodroof. Enjoy this rare opportunity to take a look around the inside of the house and ask Woody and other volunteers about all the green elements featured in this house. All are welcome, and there is no entry fee.
Check out http://solartour.org/
The 21st century farm house at Red Wiggler Community Farm was the UMD Solar Decathlon entry in 2005. Installed on the Ovid Hazen Wells Park in 2008, the 51 panels on the Solar House has generated more power than it uses year after year while being lived in continuously. As a result Red Wiggler, a certified Organic farm, converted one of its low horsepower tractors to electric to use some of the excess power. The 1947 Allis Chalmbers G with its new electric motor is now a working example of scale appropriate technology powered by the sun. The home also features solar water heating, triple-pane windows and doors, radiant in-floor heating, and used sustainably harvested wood and bamboo in the construction. The home was designed by an interdisciplinary team of University of Maryland students in architecture, engineering and related fields, and built by students and partners. The home took the “People’s Choice” Award at the 2005 Decathlon and was donated to Red Wiggler by UMD. The house is now a full-time residence for farm staff.