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The inaugural Solar Decathlon Europe is still months away, but development of the groundbreaking housing designs are already in full force.
The European Solar Decathlon is a competition that is based on the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon that spiced up the archictecture of Washington, DC for two weeks in October. This year's European version will mark the first time a Solar Decathlon has been held outside of Washington, DC
If some of the initial designs speak for the whole competition, The 2010 European solar decathlon looks to be mind-blowing. For example, the FabLab House, created by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, is solar-paneled house that is built off the ground. The design resembles the body of an animal--a rounded and elevated core supported by two rear legs of foundational support and a frontal support, which doubles as the entrance. The FabLab House is made completely out of wood. The wood is assembled in rib-like structures which allow for a photovoltaic solar skin to be placed over the structure.
The home has been elevated to allow for air to come circulate underneath the home and provide more natural ventilation. The house is also fitted with a smart system which helps control temperature, and the FabLab House has been designed to capture passive solar energy.
The 2010 Solar Decathlon Europe takes place in Madrid, Spain in June.
