Spanish University Gears Up For Second Trip to the 2007 Solar Decathlon
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (UPM) announced today that it will debut a sustainable home, Casa Solar, at the 2007 Solar Decathlon in Washington D.C. From October 12th – 20th, 20 university teams from across the globe will showcase a completely sustainable solar home at Washington, D.C.’s National Mall. Judging will take place on October 17th and competition winners will be announced on October 19th. The Solar Decathlon complements President Bush’s Solar America Initiative, which seeks to make solar energy cost-competitive with conventional forms of electricity by 2015.
“The Solar Decathlon is an opportunity for Spain to demonstrate its expertise in the area of sustainable living,” said Sergio Vega, director of the Solar Decathlon project for the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid. “This year, we’ve applied these advancements to an American-style home to create not only an eco-friendly structure but one with all the modern conveniences that make it truly livable.”
Casa Solar contains a system of ‘smart’ foundations and double-paned windows with an interlayer of air that allows for intelligent control of its features. Additional elements include:
— A technical floor equipped with phase-changing gels which allows for natural cooling and heating of the house — A Photovoltaic Array system by Isofoton captures solar energy on the 800 square foot roof and converts it into electricity — A system of window shades that prevent the loss of energy accumulated inside the home during the night, as well as systems of localized complementary insulation — A waste collection system that is easily accessible from the kitchen counter which facilitates the separation of different types of waste with little effort. Separating waste makes it easier and cheaper to recycle.
“President Bush believes technological innovation is key to increasing and diversifying our energy supply, helping ensure a growing and prosperous America and a cleaner environment,” Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman said.
“The Solar Decathlon highlights ingenuity and entrepreneurial environmentalism as future engineers and architects produce homes that generate all the energy they need without sacrificing style and comfort.” The Solar Decathlon is a bi-annual competition in ecological design and engineering. Universities from around the world will converge in Washington, D.C. to design and build energy-independent homes equipped with the technological advances that provide maximized energy efficiency. Twenty teams from North America, Germany and Spain will be judged on 10 criteria including style, innovation and efficiency.
Casa Solar is funded by the Spanish Government and many public and privates companies, and is developed within the INVISO PROJECT for the industrialization of sustainable housing. For more information, please visit http://www.solardecathlon.upm.es/.
About the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid:
The Universidad Politecnica de Madrid is a Madrid-based public university dedicated to architecture and engineering with multiple facilities throughout Madrid. With nearly 25,000 students, UPM is the largest Spanish university in engineering. The University is committed to research and development, making the Solar Decathlon a unique opportunity to develop new concepts in sustainable and environmentally-friendly housing.
Press contact:
Jaclyn Valrose, 312-240-3378, jaclyn.valrose@edelman.com
Universidad Politecnica de Madrid
CONTACT: Jaclyn Valrose, +1-312-240-3378, jaclyn.valrose@edelman.com,for Universidad Politecnica de Madrid