Team Andalucia wins 'Communication & Social Awareness' contest at Solar Decathlon Europe 2012

The 'Communication and Social Awareness' contest within this year's ongoing Solar Decathlon Europe event has been won by Team Andalucia, while RHÔNE ALPES (France)claimed second place, with a draw for third prize: Counter EnTropy Team (Germany) and Med in Italy (Italy).

The main goal of Solar Decathlon Europe 2012 is to raise public awareness of the use of renewable energies, making 'Communication and Social Awareness' one of the more relevant contests within the competition.

Solar Decathlon Europe is an international competition among universities which promotes research in the development of efficient houses. The objective of the participating teams is to design and build houses that consume as few natural resources as possible and produce minimum waste products during their life cycle. Particular emphasis is put on reducing energy consumption and on obtaining all the necessary energy from the sun.

Daniel Sieberg, Jane Kolleeny and Miguel Ángel Valladares - the jury of this contest – have chosen Andalucía Team (Patio 2.12) as the one entries for its ability to best communicate the values of the competition to the public. To evaluate the houses, first they have studied the Communication Plan designed by each one of the participants and the activities carried out to promote their project. Furthermore, they have realized a guided visit through the houses to get a first-hand view.

PATIO 2.12 is a new concept in self-sustaining modular house, based on the concept of 'Spaces kit' and 'intermediate scale of prefabrication' creating a domestic space through the use of modules that are neither the whole house or a constructive component, not a room but a housing set (a group of compatible uses). The prototype proposes a domestic space alternative by the addition of 'pavilions' around an intermediate space, the 'patio', which receives the expansions of the rooms around it, without needing the partitioning by walls.

In addition, CECODHAS, a not-for-profit public and co-operative housing providers society, granted an extra prize – 'Social Housing Meets Solar Decathlon Europe' (which has no scoring in the competition). This went to the house Canopea of the team Rhone-Alpes (France). Team Med in Italy (Italy) and Ceu Team Valencia (Spain) were also mentioned for their adaptation to hot weathers.

On Saturday (29th September), after completing the 10 contests of the competition, the winner of the Solar Decathlon Europe 2012 event will be announced during the closing ceremony.

Solar Decathlon Europe is organised by the Ministry of Public Works, Madrid City Council and the Madrid Polytechnic University (UPM) via its Higher Technical School of Arquitecture (Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid). Its main sponsors are Schneider Electric and Kömmerling, and its official collaborators include AENA, ADIF, RENFE, and INECO y FEVE. It is also supported by the US Departament of Energy and the IDAE.

Visit: www.sdeurope.org