In the 2007 Solar Decathlon, the University of Maryland's LEAFHouse took 2nd place overall and won the People's Choice award for the second time in a row. We placed 1st or 2nd in half of the individual competitions:

• 2nd in architecture
• 2nd in market viability
• 1st in communications
• 2nd in lighting
• 1st in energy balance

LEAFHouse also won these honors, awarded by industry groups at the Solar Decathlon:

• ASHRAE: Integration for Renewables for Sustainable Living
• NAHB: First Place in the NAHB Marketing Curb Appeal Award

And LEAFHouse won this AIA Honor on 10.21.07:

• PVAIA Chapter Award for the Special Award for the “Advancement of the Art and Science of Architecture”

LEAFHouse didn't escape the notice of state legislators!   On 01.28.08, LEAFHouse Team was invited to the Maryland State House to receive binding resolutions from the state Senate and House, commending the work of the Team.

At its annual awards ceremony, IEEE honored LEAFHouse Team on 04.12.08

• "For dedicated interest in the pursuit of advancing solar technology to improve our standard of living, we honor these students for their efforts in participating in the 2007 Solar Decathlon competition by building and displaying, on the National Mall, a livable solar home."

Interested in future Decathlons? Please contact us.

leaf house on campus

LEAFHouse is back on campus, in the process of being re-assembled.  It will serve as the office / meeting space for the Potomac Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (PVAIA). The Potomac Valley Architectural Foundation will assume stewardship of the LEAFHouse with the intent to continue the mission that the Team began - that of educating as many people as possible about Leading Everyone to an Abundant Future.

After completion of geotechnical, sitework and the construction of a permanent foundation, LEAFHouse will be available for tours in the late spring or early summer of 2008. Keep an eye on this page for updates.

about leaf house

The University of Maryland is proud to be a third-time participant in the Solar Decathlon, organized by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Born of the elegant marriage of biological knowledge and cutting-edge technology, LEAFHouse, our adaptable resource-efficient house, demonstrates what happens when bioinspired design savvy, traditional know-how, and 21st-century technology join as integral parts of a sustainable lifestyle. Read our complete vision.

Maryland paced fourth in 2002, and won the People's Choice Award in 2005.