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20. Oct 2007 - Solar Decathlon 2007: First prize to Darmstadt
Abstract
TU Darmstadt has won the international "Solar Decathlon 2007" competition to find the most attractive and energy-efficient solar home. The team headed by Prof. Manfred Hegger triumphed in Washington D.C. against 19 other top universities from the USA, Canada and Spain. The award-winning house will now be shipped back across the Atlantic and shown at the DEUBAU in Essen. This high-tech building will then be erected as a project office on the “Lichtwiese” campus at TU Darmstadt, serving as an EnBau model project for testing and optimisation in everyday use.
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Findings of the jury
The jurors in each discipline were full of praise for the contribution from TU Darmstadt, which gained first places in the four sub-disciplines architecture, lighting concept, technology and energy balance. The jury of engineering scientists awarded maximum marks to the project in terms of innovation. The energy balance was also deemed to be "perfect".
Strict rules of competition
The competition rules require a fully energy-independent building with a floor area limited to 75 m². This meant that the house by TU Darmstadt had to make do with a living area of approx. 55 m². All furniture is integrated into the floor platform and can be stored away as required in order to maximise the space in such a small area. The enclosed core containing the kitchen and bath has been reduced to a minimum – if necessary, it can be extended or enlarged when taking a shower or holding cooking events. When selecting materials, the emphasis was placed on renewable, near-natural and recyclable materials. All the energy required on a daily basis has to be supplied by the sun.
Innovative technology for zero-energy buildings
The building is peppered with new technologies and concepts: vacuum insulation (VIP), thermo-active building systems using phase change materials (PCM), solar power generation (PV) integrated in the facade and roof and many other features; these ensure a neutral energy balance over a period of one year. The modular design of the house allowed it to be transported to the USA for the competition.
Demonstrating performance with public support
The project quickly awakened the interest of many companies, who offered advice and practical support. The German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs (BMVBS) promoted project-related work and studies. The performance of this high-tech building will now be measured and optimised in detail during normal building usage over several years within the scope of the research programme “EnOB – Research for Energy-Optimised Construction” sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi). Further information on the EnBau model project will shortly appear on this website.