The S.T.E.P. (Solar Thermal/ Electric Panel) system addresses the electrical, heating and domestic hot water needs of a home. This S.T.E.P. System that the team has developed produces both electrical energy as well as hot water in the same roof area. This is accomplished by taking advantage of the strengths of multiple systems simultaneously as well as providing benefits in other areas of the Solar Decathlon competition.

First, the team is using an amorphous type photovoltaic, or solar panel. This type of panel will loose little power-producing capacity in a high heat situation, where a single or multi-crystalline type panel looses a great deal of capacity in high heat. This inherent quality of amorphous panels means that the solar hot water system, located directly beneath the panel, will not dramatically affect its power-producing capacity. Choosing this type of solar panel means choosing a less efficient panel, which results in less electric energy generated. However this provides the house with an abundance of hot water. Therefore, during the design process, the team looked for a large electric load to replace with a hot water load. The team found its solution in radiant floor heating.