Italy in first place, followed by France and the Netherlands, and then Germany and Switzerland – these were the results of the Solar Decathlon Europe 2014, decided in mid-July in Versailles, near Paris. It was a neck-on-neck competition in which Team ‘RhOME’ from Università degli Studi Roma Tre, squeezed ahead of their competitors from Nantes and Delft, on the final day, by the slimmest of margins, a mere 0.88 points.
It would not do the exhibition justice, however, to judge it solely on points scored or values measured. Like a magnifying glass, the Solar Decathlon reveals current trends and technological developments in the field of sustainable building. Furthermore, in Versailles, important decisions were revealed, which will impact the future of one of the most prestigious student architectural competition worldwide. To a much greater extent than in past editions of the Solar Decathlon, the organizers requested that the projects focus on important issues such as urban density, cost effective building, the integration of architecture and mobility, and the efficient use of resources and energy. But above all, the designs should propose solutions to conditions in the home countries of the respective teams. (Jakob Schoof)
It would not do the exhibition justice, however, to judge it solely on points scored or values measured. Like a magnifying glass, the Solar Decathlon reveals current trends and technological developments in the field of sustainable building. Furthermore, in Versailles, important decisions were revealed, which will impact the future of one of the most prestigious student architectural competition worldwide. To a much greater extent than in past editions of the Solar Decathlon, the organizers requested that the projects focus on important issues such as urban density, cost effective building, the integration of architecture and mobility, and the efficient use of resources and energy. But above all, the designs should propose solutions to conditions in the home countries of the respective teams. (Jakob Schoof)