The inaugural Solar Decathlon Europe is still months away, but development of the groundbreaking housing designs are already in full force.
The European Solar Decathlon is a competition that is based on the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlonthat spiced up the archictecture of Washington, DC for two weeks inOctober. This year’s European version will mark the first time a SolarDecathlon has been held outside of Washington, DC
If some of the initial designs speak for the whole competition, The2010 European solar decathlon looks to be mind-blowing. For example,the FabLab House,created by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, issolar-paneled house that is built off the ground. The design resemblesthe body of an animal–a rounded and elevated core supported by tworear legs of foundational support and a frontal support, which doublesas the entrance. The FabLab House is made completely out of wood. Thewood is assembled in rib-like structures which allow for a photovoltaicsolar skin to be placed over the structure.
The home has been elevated to allow for air to come circulateunderneath the home and provide more natural ventilation. The house isalso fitted with a smart system which helps control temperature, andthe FabLab House has been designed to capture passive solar energy.
The 2010 Solar Decathlon Europe takes place in Madrid, Spain in June.