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First major test for prototype zero carbon, solar powered house
Over a year’s planning, design and construction will be put to the test at 11am on Friday February 19 2010 when three sections of a student built, prototype, solar-powered house are craned into place.
A 40 strong team of students from The University of Nottingham are representing Britain in the first ever Solar Decathlon Europe — an international house building competition featuring the very latest in sustainable solar architecture — which takes place in Madrid between June 18 and 27.
The Nottingham H.O.U.S.E (a family home optimising the use of solar energy) is competing against 19 other universities from across the world to design, build and test drive Europe’s most energy efficient home. Academics, researchers and students from the various disciplines in the Department of the Built Environment have partnered with a select group of industrial sponsors and specialist consultants to make the project possible.
Dr Mark Gillot said: “The full-scale home is designed to the world's most stringent design codes — German Passivhaus Institute Design, UK Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6 (Zero-carbon), Lifetime Homes compliant & secured by design compliant. This is the first time all these codes have been complied within a house of this type — this in itself is a massive challenge regardless of the fact we are using students to design and build it. It will be a fully functioning home which is UK building regulations compliant.”
The house has attracted major sponsorship from Saint-Gobain — a world leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of construction materials. The students are also working with award winning garden designer Ian Dexter and Michelin star Chef Sat Bains to provide and grow ecologically sourced food which will form part of the dining experience in the house during the competition in Spain. Sat has put together an English gastronomic feast for the dinner party guests from the other competing countries — the food has been chosen to use very little energy in its preparation. A solar cooker, developed by the University, will also be used to prepare it.
The Nottingham H.O.U.S.E has many novel features to reduce energy such as a new low energy cooling system developed by the University and partners. The home’s modular volumetric design allows it to be transported and assembled rapidly.
On February 25 the house will be transported from Nottingham to London where it will be showcased at EcoBuild, the world's biggest event for sustainable design, construction and the built environment which takes place from March 2 to March 4.
At the beginning of June the house will head to Madrid where the students have just one week to build the house and landscape the garden before putting its low energy technologies to the test.
Organised and supported by the Ministry of Housing of the Spanish Government together with the US Department of Energy The Solar Decathlon Europe 2010 is judged on 10 separate areas of expertise.
• The architectural merit of their home
• Industrialisation and market viability
• Engineering and construction
• Solar systems
• Electrical energy balance
• Comfort conditions
• Communication and social awareness
• Household functionality
• Innovation
• Sustainability
The competition aims to educate the general public on renewable energy, energy efficiency and the technologies available to help them reduce their energy consumption; to encourage the use of solar technologies; and to demonstrate that solar houses can be built without sacrificing energy efficiency or comfort, and that they can be both attractive and affordable.
More details about the Nottingham H.O.U.S.E can be found at:
www.nottinghamhouse.co.uk
http://www.ecobuild.saint-gobain.co.uk/solar_decathlon.asp
http://ecobuild.posterous.com/
Progress on the build can be followed on the student’s facebook site: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Nottingham-HOUSE/202710912702.
Or Twitter:
http://twitter.com/nottinghamhouse
For information about Solar Decathlon Europe go to:
http://www.sdeurope.org/
Previous releases from The University of Nottingham:
http://communications.nottingham.ac.uk/News/Article/University-challenge-to-build-Europes-most-energy-efficient-home.html
http://communications.nottingham.ac.uk/News/Article/Michelin-Star-chef-puts-architecture-on-the-menu.html
Please note: As this is a ‘construction site’ photographers and reporters who want to attend will need to be onsite at 10.30am to sign in and be provided with appropriate protective clothing. The lift will take place at 11am.
— Ends —
Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 100 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and Times Higher (THE) World University Rankings.
More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to RAE 2008, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranks the University 7th in the UK by research power. In 27 subject areas, the University features in the UK Top Ten, with 14 of those in the Top Five.
The University provides innovative and top quality teaching, undertakes world-changing research, and attracts talented staff and students from 150 nations. Described by The Times as Britain's “only truly global university”, it has invested continuously in award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. Twice since 2003 its research and teaching academics have won Nobel Prizes. The University has won the Queen's Award for Enterprise in both 2006 (International Trade) and 2007 (Innovation — School of Pharmacy), and was named ‘Entrepreneurial University of the Year’ at the Times Higher Education Awards 2008.
Nottingham was designated as a Science City in 2005 in recognition of its rich scientific heritage, industrial base and role as a leading research centre. Nottingham has since embarked on a wide range of business, property, knowledge transfer and educational initiatives (www.science-city.co.uk) in order to build on its growing reputation as an international centre of scientific excellence. The University of Nottingham is a partner in Nottingham: the Science City.
Additional information: Photographers and reporters will need to be onsite at 10.30 to sign in as this is a construction site. The lift will take place at 11am.
More information is available from Dr Mark Gillott on +44 (0)115 8467677, mark.gillott@nottingham.ac.uk; or Lindsay Brooke, Media Relations Manager, The University of Nottingham on +44 (0)115 951 5751, lindsay.brooke@nottingham.ac.uk
More University of Nottingham news: http://communications/nottingham.ac.uk/
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