Solar Decathlon 2009

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: Going From Inspired to Inspirational

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Meltwater house was relocated to Milwaukee's State Fair Park after leaving the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2009. The house served as an exhibit at the annual home show of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, which took place on the fairgrounds in February 2010. While at the conference, an estimated 20,000 people visited the house to learn more about its innovative systems.

Decathletes from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) used the local landscape as a source of inspiration when creating their house for Solar Decathlon 2009. Melding the geologic past with the latest solar and building technologies, they created Meltwater.

The house features photovoltaic panels placed on an inverted, butterfly-shaped roof. This design is reminiscent of the glacial valleys carved in Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley. It is fitting, then, that Meltwater would return to its home state following the competition on the National Mall.

Efforts to secure funding and permits are currently under way so the house can be donated to the Urban Ecology Center. This neighborhood-based, nonprofit community center offers a range of educational programs targeted at helping children become ecologically responsible adults.

When possible, Meltwater will be reconstructed on the Urban Ecology's Washington Park campus. Plans call for the house to serve as an exhibit and classroom space for youth programs that serve about 18,000 students annually.

"Our sincere appreciation goes to UWM for the visionary leadership and generosity in donating this amazing building to the Urban Ecology Center," says Beth Fetterley, the center's senior director of education and strategic planning. "Thanks to that vision, more people will experience the creativity and talent of the students who built this remarkable building and all that it demonstrates."

Content Last Updated: August 17, 2010