Solar Decathlon Europe

Solar Decathlon Europe (SD Europe) 2010 is the result of the commitment by the Government of Spain, through the Ministry of Housing, and the United States to organize in Europe a competition of sustainable solar architecture.

To that end, in October 2007 both governments signed an agreement ("Memorandum of Understanding ') under the" Solar City " of Solar Decathlon 2007. For the 2010 competition, held in Madrid, 20 top universities have been selected, from around the world, whose prestige will be, undoubtedly, strengthened.

The initiative is closely linked with some of the priorities of the European Union and the Spanish Government, both with regards the promotion and firm commitment to sustainable development and renewable energy, and the active support for the development of research and innovation applied to a subject of great and strategic global interest, as is the efficient use of energy and improving the conditions for sustainability of a sector as sensitive and so important in the economy such as construction.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

During their visit to the United States in 2007, the team of the Polytechnic University of Madrid launched the idea about the celebration in Europe of the Solar Decathlon competition. Following the efforts of this University with the Embassy of Spain in the U.S. and representatives of the U.S. Department of Energy, it was proposed the signing of a 'Memorandum of Understanding "between the United States Government and the Government of Spain. In that agreement, the Spanish government, through the Ministry of Housing, is committed to organize, with U.S. support, the Solar Decathlon Europe competition, initially for 2010 and 2012 editions. The document stipulates that the European competitions will be held alternately with the ones held in the U.S., as provided in odd years (2009, 2011 and 2013).

The agreement was made possible by the special awareness of the Government of Spain to these issues and their determination to assume the leadership with an international scale project with a broad, technical, scientific, social, and economic impact.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on October 18, 2007 in Washington DC, near the Solar House of Madrid at the Politechnic University, during the competition. From the american side, it was signed by Alexander A. Karsner, Secretary General of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Department and by the Spanish side, Fernando Magro Fernández, Assistant Secretary of Housing, Ministry of Housing.

Objectives of Solar Decathlon Europe

Just as the original event, the Solar Decathlon Europe, will be an international competition among universities around the world to advance the knowledge and the dissemination of solar and sustainable industrialized housing. The final phase of the competition will be held in Madrid in June 2010. There shall be mounted and set out the 20 homes, designed and built by the participating universities.
 

 

The competition has four basic objectives
 

1. Inform students participating about the many benefits and possibilities of using renewable energy in the building and energy-efficient construction, challenging them to think differently about the rational use of energy and how it affects our daily lives.

2. Educate the general public about renewable energy, energy efficiency, and what technologies are available today to help in consumption reduction. The event aims to raise awareness in society about the need for responsible use of energy in the building.


3. Promoting solar technologies that extend the market quickly, taking advantage of student interest in the search, in the development of energy efficiency technologies and energy production, all integrated into architecturally attractive housing.

4. Demonstrate pracitcally that you can build high performance homes perfectly livable and economic, without energy efficiency and the use of renewable energies undermining the benefits of housing, or their conditions of comfort.
Participation

 Undoubtedly, Solar Decathlon is prestigious to the participating universities, because for them is the integration and generation of knowledge about the conditions of sustainable construction in an environmentally conscious World. The selected universities are involved with multidisciplinary teams, led by a 'faculty advisor', a project manager and a team captain. To facilitate the participation of universities, the Ministry of Housing will provide economic support estimated at 100,000 euros to each participating team.

 

 

 

Solar Decathlon Europe 2010 offers students a unique learning opportunity, moving from theory to practice in a unique testing ground. They will be challenged to use their ingenuity and innovation capacity to design and build an energy self-sufficient house. Also they must take care of socio-economic aspects to ensure the viability of projects.

UPV Solar Team and its technology partners begin to build the house of 74 m2 for the Solar Decathlon.

After receiving the report of the Project On & On, the Solar Team begins the manufacture of energy-efficient housing. The prototype aims to investigate a model of sustainable construction that provides comfort and quality of life for their people and promote the responsible use of energy.


Solar Decathlon, which will be held for the first time in Europe (Madrid) from 18th to June 27th, 2010, is a contest sponsored by the Department of Energy of the United States Government and will include the participation of 20 universities around the world whose objective is to present design projects, the construction and feasibility of energy self-sufficient housing supplied by solar energy to enhance the sustainability and energy efficiency.
 

The proposal of the Polytechnic University of Valencia, who first presented his candidacy for this competition, has been selected to participate in Solar Decathlon Europe 2010 Madrid. This contest, organized by the Ministry of Housing together with the U.S. Department of Energy, maintains the same format and rules as the previous edition in the U.S.

The essence of the competition is promoting awareness and implementing efficient building technologies that reduce energy consumption.


UPV Solar team and its technology partners

The prototype housing On & On bet low-power energy criterias based on passive measures to maximize thermal comfort, reducing energy demand and CO2 emissions.


In order to carry out a project of this nature, we need the involvement of public institutions and private companies, therefore, the team has the support of technology partners, institutions and sponsors.

Similarly, it could be seen, exclusively, at the stand of CERACASA in CEVISAMA, the model of the housing to be presented at the Polytechnic University of Valencia in the Solar Decathlon Europe in 2010 (Madrid) and which participates as a partner CERACASA Solar team called Team UPV ON & ON.
 

The Solar Decathlon is a competition among universities around the world to build a prototype house using self-sufficient solar energy and eco-efficient materials in construction. The team is subject to 10 objective and subjective tests to assess the best Project.

It is an excellent opportunity to disseminate knowledge about the conditions for sustainability on our planet, raising awareness throughout society in fundamental ways to the environment, such as the responsible use of resources.

CERACASA is actively involved in the project by applying EMOTILE and BIONICTILE products in the exterior walls and water areas. These strategies along with comprehensive control of power consumption, achieving the goal of producing at least as much energy as is consumed.

The Spanish team UPV Solar Team is supported, in addition to CERACASA, by collaboration with Rockwool, Gesfesa-Edifesa, Sonoidea, Autodesk, Daikin and Kommerling Profin Group.
 

This project has also received support and participation of public institutions such as the Valencian Institute of Building, the Department of Environment, Water, Urbanism and Housing, and the city of Valencia and Institute of Energy Technology.

2010 Calendar

 

• February 2010: Basic project Presentation. Project Implementation presentation.
• February-April 2010: Construction of prototype at UPV
• April-May 2010: Tests of the prototype at UPV
• May 2010: Audiovisual + Model
• June 2010: Solar Decathlon Europe Competition.
• September 2010: Program Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy awareness begins with the Prototype from the UPV.