The Solar Decathlon Europe is an international competition open to all accredited colleges, universities, and other post-secondary educational institutions, which has taken place in Madrid, Spain during June.
The Solar Decathlon is also a public event designed to increase awareness about energy for residential use. The competition demonstrates that a beautifully and well-designed house can generate enough electricity to meet the needs of a household, including electricity for lighting, cooking, washing clothes and dishes, powering home and home-office electronics, maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature and air quality. The Solar Decathlon shows Europe and the world, those clean and plentiful sources of energy—solar energy—can provide the power for healthy places in which to live, work, and enjoy. One of the famous researche centres is IaaC (The Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia). It has carried out research projects in Brazil, Taiwan, Croatia and Romania. In 2008 it was chosen to take part in the official section of the Venice Biennale with the project Hyperhabitat, and in 2010 it presents a 1:1 scale house entirely produced at the Institute at the Solar Decathlon Europe in Madrid, and got the 1st people choice award. Prince Felipe said it looked like a boat but the spectacular house was also called “peanut house” “cinnamon submarine,” “forest zeppelin” or “whale belly” .
However the house has also introduced significant technological innovations such as the world’s most efficient flexible solar panels, made with both Spanish and American technology. So far the house has already attracted the interest of the public and the media. The house has been put up for sale from € 45,000.
Source:
Media-Via 