Sustainable houses for the Solar Decathlon Europe 2010

Team Germany won the Solar Decathlon last year for their Darmstadt house and once again, 20 teams are battling it out for the prestigious award. After a meticulous selection process, the Solar Decathlon Europe 2010 Organization has chosen 20 prominent universities from Europe, America and Asia to participate in the competition scheduled to take place in Madrid in June of 2010. The participating teams have developed a housing prototype (in approximately two years), which will be later assembled in the Solar Village, which will be open to visitors in the month of June. Hit the jump to check out the participating teams and the sustainable houses they have built.

luukku

• Napevomo House - Arts et Métiers Paris Tech (AMP)

napevomo house

Nápévomó means “Do you feel well?” in the Cheyenne language. This name was chosen as a tribute to the Native Americans, for their respect for nature. The very name reflects the desire to build a self-sufficient house with all the comfort. The interior climate of the house is self-regulated through good insulation and low-energy windows. A cylindrical-parabolic concentrator directs the solar flux so that it is absorbed by high-efficiency solar cells. The warm household water is used for cooling the cells. All the electric, heating and cooling needs have been incorporated into a single system.

• LIVING EQUIA - Fachhochschule fur Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin (BER)

living equia

The name 'LIVING EQUIA,' is inspired by the phrase "Living Ecologic Quality and Integration of Ambience." The design of Living EQUIA features well-designed shafts of light, energy optimizing orientation, a homogeneous outer skin, a modular structure and a spacious interior. The tech features include photovoltaic modules, a passive cooling system, a solar thermal systems, heat pump and a home automation system. Moreover, the wooden design and the level of recyclability further account for the sustainability. During high temperatures, the house utilizes thousands of tiny wax globules integrated in the roof to cool it down. The house also has an automatic ventilation system that is able to recover heat.

• TEAM WUPPERTAL - Bergische Universität Wuppertal (BUW)

team wuppertal

The main idea behind the project was to design an open house where the exterior space is connected via simple geometric shapes to make for a sustainable and adaptable system. The house has two solar walls. You can open the living space from any side to create a new open and floating room. The interiors have been designed to be adaptable. A multifunctional furniture unit in the form of a box allows modularity of the use of space to create a work area, a living room or a bedroom. Additional storage solutions are also there. The house design follows the "Net zero energy building" principle. The energy consumed should be equal to the energy consumed at the end of the year. There are solar modules placed on the roof and on the southern façade of the house.

• SMLHOUSE - Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera (CEU)

smlhouse

The core element here is sustainability. The house can expand with its lightweight ribs that are dried together. The basic unit is composed totally of prefabricated materials and is dry assembled. All the systems meant for energy capture, transformation and renewable energy accumulation have been chosen to provide a realistic and organized product. The courtyard of the house also works as a cooling unit by using cross ventilation with the purpose of creating a "microclimate." The house is meant to be energetically self-sufficient.

• ARMADILLO BOX - Ecole National Supérieure d'architecture de Grenoble (GRE)

armadillo box

The principal idea behind the house was to create a prefabricated technical core that houses the technical equipment. Renewable and organic materials like soil and wood have been used whenever possible. The coating is created by 52m2 of solar panels that produce the energy needed for the house and the electric car. Read more at SD Europe.

• STUTTGART TEAM - Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences (HFT)

stuttgart team

The idea behind this house considered the extreme weather conditions similar to those found in desert regions, since their cooling systems need a lot of energy. The roof and facades of the house are surrounded by solar panels that produce more energy than the house needs. The house also includes an energy tower that allows the cooling of air in hot climates. Read more at SD Europe.

• LUUKKU - Helsinki University of Technology (HUT)

lukku house 1

The main objectives of the design were to use wood, need little energy and have a low CO2 footprint. There are photovoltaic panels, hot water provided by solar collectors and a hot and cold air system by Enervent. Read more at SD Europe.

• FABLAB HOUSE - Instituto de Arquitectura Avanzada de Cataluña (IAA)

fblab house

Crafted in wood and decked with solar panels, the three-legged, ellipsoid FabLab House by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia is set to dazzle the European Solar Decathlon in Madrid in June. Claiming to be a zero-energy home, the passive house flaunts a rib-like structure and has a space underneath (slightly raised above the ground) for natural ventilation. Initially destined for Madrid’s Solar Resource, now the green house will vie against teams parading some site-specific climate and solar resources. The photovoltaic skin is also responsible for collecting rainwater. Where a passive design ensures maximum efficiency and minimum consumption, the house also has smart systems for monitoring and controlling its temperature and energy use. Moreover, you would see it tied in with a garden for growing food.

• K´IIN- Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (MON)

kiin

The KÍIN house offers a low-cost but high-quality home, incorporating new technologies and sustainable features. The house is designed as a module, so that other modules can be added if there is a need to expand. Read more at SD Europe.

• IKAROS - University of Applied Sciences Rosenheim (ROS)

ikaros

Utilizing green technologies to the fullest via a controlled shading system, roof-mounted photovoltaic panels and an air and solar cooling system, the IKAROS house will be eying the top spot at the competition. The 45 sq. meter house flaunts a special element of mobility, so it is perfectly possible to "choose the location of the house arbitrarily." The building is divided into four modules. With sufficient space for four people, the house bases it on the element of mutual sharing. Modular structural elements assist in easy and economical repositioning of the house. Phase changing material used in the walls and the roof make it reject the heat. This rejected heat is further used in heating domestic water.

• SUNFLOWER - Tianjin University (TUC)

sunflower

The house aims to achieve the highest level of sustainability possible for a solar house. It explores the sun’s movement in order to exploit all of its energy. The concept of the house is based on the Chinese philosophy of construction, emphasizing the search for harmony between man, nature and housing. Read more at SD Europe.

• CASA SOLAR FLEX - Consórcio Brasil (UBR)

casa solar flex

The house is designed on the idea of solar modules, which can be added or changed as per requirements. The architecture can be modified, including the room sizes, walls, roof and the floor. All the energy needs of the inhabitants are fulfilled with solar energy. Read more at SD Europe.

• SOLARKIT - Universidad de Sevilla (UDS)

solarkit

The SOLARKIT is a detachable, energetically self-sufficient house that is able to adapt to a range of different locations and situations. An innovative system called "kit furniture" has been used to build the house. The team has deconstructed the house based on the daily domestic activities like eating, sleeping, watching TV and bathing. The house offers all the comfort of a lightweight, prefabricated system using renewable and clean energies. Some of the tech features include solar capture windows, thin-film photovoltaic capture systems, thermal capture through vacuum tube systems and an integrated management of energy consumption.

• LA ENVOLVENTE DEL URCOMANTE - Universidad de Valladolid (UDV)

la envolvente del urcomante

The main concept was to design an "all in one" home for the "all in one" individual. The interior of the house is a multi-functional and transformable space. There is a bedroom-study, bathroom and a kitchen. The outer layer of the house captures solar energy and protects the inhabitants. Its inclined shape optimizes solar capture and eases the collection of water. Read more at SD Europe.

• NOTTINGHAM HOUSE - University of Nottingham (UON)

nottingham house

The sustainable house monitors your energy consumption and offers the ability to connect families through a shared terrace. Due to the two-story design, there is enough space for a garden or orchard. The house walls double as shelving and bookcases to ease storage. Prefabricated elements have been used in the making. Read more at SD Europe.

• RE FOCUS - University of Florida (UOF)

re focus

There are three basic elements for this house — a porch, a ventilated corridor and a porous skin. Each element has its own individual purpose. A modular approach has been used to organize the space and assist the assembly of the house. A "technology" wall in the south side of the house holds the plumbing, electricity and electronics. The team plans to reuse recycled long-leaf pine from a nineteenth century "Cracker House" located in the greater Gainesville area. Read more at SD Europe.

• LOW3 - Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña (UPC)

low3

The energetically self-sufficient LOW3 solar house is designed with a notion to create a new concept for the future of sustainable housing. It has a passive solar architecture with bioclimatic optimization. The house features photovoltaic technology integrated into the building, along with the solar thermal systems. Sustainable and energy efficient materials have been used in the making. Read more at SD Europe.

• ON&ON - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV)

onon

The ON&ON is an energy-efficient house that minimizes thermal loads with the help of the passive systems. The goal is to produce at least as much energy as is consumed. One interesting fact is that the space can be expanded by adding a container when needed. The intermediate spaces are of notable importance, as they adjust the hydrothermal comfort levels to the exterior climatic conditions. Read more at SD Europe.

• ECLIPSE - Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (VPU)

eclipse

The ECLIPSE house offers an open configuration that connects the inhabitants to the outdoors. Interestingly, the floor of the house doubles in size and the walls disappear to make for unlimited space. Every part of the house is designed to be flexible to suit the needs of the inhabitants. The radiating floor heating system is integrated in the concrete floor, which heats up the house through a geothermal pump. The rooftop photovoltaic system can vary its angle to get the most out of the sun. You can control the same with your iPhone. Read more at SD Europe.