With less than 30 days until competition, WaterShed team members welcomed University President Wallace Loh and representatives from Governor Martin O'Malley's office to the construction site Wednesday for a quick house tour. Also on hand to see the house's progress were Director of the Solar Decathlon Richard King, Director of the Maryland Energy Association Malcolm Woolf, President of Standard Solar Tony Clifford and President of Washington Gas Energy Services, Harry Warren.

Loh later tweeted, "It was a pleasure to visit WaterShed today, UMD's entry into the 2011 Solar Decathlon Competition."

In just two weeks, WaterShed-- which was constructed on semi carriers-- will begin its slow journey to the competition site in West Potomac Park, just south of the Lincoln Memorial. In the meantime, even as classes begin to ramp up on campus, the team continues to work round the clock to dismantle the house in preparation for transport. To see the team's latest news and watch their project, visit their newly revamped website, http://2011.solarteam.org.

The School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at the University of Maryland is home to four academic disciplines: architecture, urban planning, historic preservation and real estate development. Committed to educating its students and community about the importance of sustainability and smart growth, the School practices an interdisciplinary approach to education, research, creative work, and community and professional service. For more information, please e-mail us or call 301.405.8000.

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