Topping-out ceremony for Solar Decathlon House at TU-Darmstadt

Solarhouse at TU-Darmstadt

	Prof. Hegger explains the concept of the house

Twenty teams have been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to compete in the 2007 Solar Decathlon.

The teams, from colleges and universities around the globe, participate in an unparalleled solar competition to design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered home.

In fall 2007, the teams transport their solar houses to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where they form a solar village.

The teams compete in 10 contests to determine an overall winner.

Below are the ten Solar Decathlon Contests:
• Architecture — 200 points
• Engineering — 150 points
• Market Viability — 150 points
• Communications — 100 points
• Comfort Zone — 100 points
• Appliances — 100 points
• Hot Water — 100 points
• Lighting — 100 points
• Energy Balance — 100 points
• Getting Around — 100 points

Using only energy from the sun, the teams generate enough electricity to run a modern household.

With an eye on energy efficiency, the students carefully choose the systems, products, and appliances used in their houses.

In the Getting Around contest, student teams use electricity generated by their solar electric systems on their houses to charge their street-legal, commercially available electric vehicles. Points are awarded based on how many miles each team completes.

As one of the sponsors, Porextherm contributes to the successful completion of the competition with the supply of nearly 260 m2 Vacupor® – Vacuum Insulation Panels.

The Vacupor® VIPs will be integrated in walls, ceilings and floors of the three segments.

Thereby, the high performance insulation provides a relevant portion, to achieve the ambitious goals in case of energy consumption for heating and cooling as well as in case of the realization of solar profits.

On Wednesday the 16. May 2007 the topping-out ceremony took place at the solar house.
Numerous guests of TU-Darmstadt, among others Hesses sciences- secretary of state Dr. Ralph Alexander Lorz and Darmstadts mayor Walter Hoffman, appeared at pouring rain, in order to wish to the project a lot of success.

The finished solar house will be shown next at an event with the initiative
„Deutschland - Land der Ideen“ on 24th of July 2007.

Subsequently, the building is seperated into smaller transportation units and shipped to America, where it will participate in the actual competition in autumn of this year.

Further information to the competition, background information and information about the status and/or progress of the building you will find under:
www.solardecathlon.de
www.solardecathlon.org
http://www.ee-concept.de/solardecathlon/competition.html

Student team at the award ceremony "Deutschland - Land der Ideen"

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