BALTIMORE (AP) — University of Maryland students earned second place in an international energy efficiency competition in Denver called the "Solar Decathlon."

The Washington Post reports that a team of Maryland students designed one of about a dozen homes that were evaluated for energy performance, livability and market potential. The Maryland house was exemplary in its water-reuse system. The house also features a composting toilet, a hydroponic garden and greenhouse, and water filtration system, as well as a solar-powered dryer and food dehydrator.

A team from Switzerland won first place in the competition, earning a perfect score on the engineering portion. A team from University of California at Berkeley and the University of Denver won third place.

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