MADRID: The first international Solar Decathlon Europe Competition in Madrid has come to a close, with the Nottingham H.O.U.S.E (Home Optimising the Use of Solar Energy) finishing in 15th place overall.
MADRID: The first international Solar Decathlon Europe Competition in Madrid has come to a close, with the Nottingham H.O.U.S.E (Home Optimising the Use of Solar Energy) finishing in 15th place overall.
The H.O.U.S.E ranked high for its environmental credentials, coming a close second in the sustainability category. Seventeen teams from seven countries and three continents participated in the contest to design and build a practical, self-sufficient and comfortable solar powered home.
Students from the University of Nottingham’s Department of the Built Environment (DBE) were awarded 115 out of a possible 120 points in the sustainability category, which evaluated the teams’ skill and environmental sensitivity for designing and constructing a house with a very low negative impact during its life cycle. The H.O.U.S.E was the UK’s only entry into the contest and has been constructed almost entirely of materials supplied by Saint-Gobain, the main sponsor of the competition.
The Nottingham H.O.U.S.E demonstrates how low-energy architecture can lend itself to the mass market with an L-shaped, modular design so versatile it can be worked into terraces, rows or stacked as apartments. The resulting concept is a highly marketable, zero carbon starter home for a new family.
Products from companies including Saint-Gobain Isover, British Gypsum, Weber, Saint-Gobain Glass, Solaglas, International Timber and Jewson have been incorporated to optimise energy efficiency, while John Lewis has specified sustainable furnishings as part of its support for the project.
