Solar Decathon Europe got all fired up when Germany's Ecolar house got first place in the Engineering competition, placing it second overall in this year's contest! Judges recognized the team's thoughtful incorporation of several solar solutions,
ecological and financial sensitivity, as well as their crafty emphasis
on modularity. A flexible design that expands or shrinks to accommodate
different users, ECOLAR also uses three different kinds of vertical and
rooftop solar panels to generate energy. The team rounded out the
remarkable project by insulating the compact home with one of the
world's most renewable and sustainable materials: hemp!
ECOLAR’s basic construction, comprised of beams and columns,
essentially stays the same but can be configured differently based on
the homeowner’s preferences. In keeping with the mandates of genuine
sustainability, the team stuck to sustainably-sourced wood for
construction, and then incorporated hemp insulation in the floors, walls
and ceiling to prevent thermal loss. Despite being outlawed in some countries, this really is one of the most sensible materials to use in construction today.
The vertical and rooftop solar panels are all different and can be
either opaque or semi-transparent depending on where they are placed. In
addition to generating energy – about 14,371 kWh each year in Germany –
these panels also contribute to the home’s aesthetic appeal and passive design.
All of the technical equipment is housed in a super cabinet behind the
kitchen panel that slides in and out, providing plenty of space in which
to conduct any necessary electrical or mechanical tune ups or repairs.
Congratulations Team Ecolar!
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