Solar Decathlon Europe

The Solar Decathlon is one of the largest university-based competitions bringing forth innovative and inspiring ideas for sustainable building and living. At the Solar Decathlon Europe 21/22 in Wuppertal, Germany, 16 teams of different nationalities exhibited their eco-friendly house concepts. The German team coLLab, from the University of Applied Sciences in Stuttgart, developed a modular extension project for a building on their campus and presented a 1:1 scale model consisting of 4 units. As the main element of their creation, the students imagine a kind of double skin covering both the extension and the existing building and which integrates ASCA^® solar modules.

The use of ASCA^® solutions meets two objectives: produce renewable energy and improve the comfort of the inhabitants. Indeed, the modules filter the sun's rays and provide shade within the building. The students optimized the size and placement of the modules by running simulations on energy needs, interior temperature and sunlight conditions. Lightweight, hexagonal ASCA^® modules of various sizes are integrated into the metal mesh covering the building's recycled wood façade, creating an aesthetic pattern on the building that changes throughout the day.

The coLLab team has developed its project with a modular approach in order to easily transpose it to other existing buildings. Indeed, the elevation concept can be adapted to the dimensions and the type of load bearing structure of each building. Indeed, the wire structure and the ASCA^® solutions being light and being able to be produced in all shapes and sizes, they can be easily adapted to the various constraints. This energy renovation concept perfectly demonstrates that it is possible to integrate solar solutions in the building envelope, whatever its original design.