The University of Nottingham’s Department of the Built Environment (DBE) has teamed up with leading international construction materials company Saint-Gobain to create an energy efficient, zero carbon solar powered home which will be one of the key attractions at this year’s Ecobuild (2-4 March 2010, Earl’s Court, London).

The Nottingham HOUSE (Home Optimising the Use of Solar Energy), constructed entirely from materials supplied by Saint-Gobain’s UK companies, has been designed and built by a team of students from the DBE as part their entry into the first International Solar Decathlon Europe competition to design, build and operate Europe’s most attractive, effective and energy efficient zero carbon solar powered house. The finished house will make its debut at Ecobuild en route to the final, which takes place in Madrid in June 2010.

The Nottingham Solar Decathlon entry will show how low energy architecture can lend itself to the mass market with an L-shaped, modular design so versatile it can be worked into terraces, rows or stacked as apartments. The resulting concept is a highly marketable, zero carbon starter home for a new family – a major requirement in the UK. Products from companies including Saint-Gobain Isover, British Gypsum, Weber, Saint-Gobain Glass, Solaglas, International Timber and Greenworks will be incorporated, providing total solutions to optimise energy efficiency.

The Nottingham team will take on 19 universities from around the world in the final where each house will be transported to Madrid, reassembled and connected to the grid. Students will be judged on ten separate areas including architectural merit, market viability, construction, solar systems, electrical energy balance, comfort conditions, communication of the project to a wider audience, household functionality, innovation and sustainability. During the final, students will also have to live in the home to demonstrate its effectiveness and energy efficiency.

Dr Mark Gillott, co-director of the Institute of Sustainable Energy Technology and Nottingham HOUSE project director, comments: “Ecobuild 2010 provides an ideal platform to showcase our reputation for teaching and research excellence in the areas of zero carbon architecture and low carbon technologies. The backing of Saint-Gobain and its expertise in sustainable construction has helped to turn our concept into a reality and we look forward to unveiling the finished house at the show.

“Using a prefabricated design, our truly sustainable house will show how a small ‘starter’ home could be produced with the ability to sit side by side as part of a semi-detached house or terrace. This opportunity allows developers the potential for increased thermal performance and the ability to generate high densities in a master plan while still giving each family a private green space.”

Mike Chaldecott, Chair of the Saint-Gobain Habitat Group and managing director of British Gypsum, comments: “Saint-Gobain is focused on the delivery of sustainable construction and our partnership with The University of Nottingham provides crucial support to the team, enabling them to showcase the best in innovation and design.

“Meeting new homes targets while also achieving a reduction in carbon emissions will be a key challenge for the construction industry over the coming years. The Government has pledged an extra £1.5 billion to build an additional 20,000 affordable homes over the next two years and has also announced plans to introduce a ‘clean energy cash back’ scheme, where households contributing electricity to the National Grid through methods such as solar power are set to be rewarded with financial incentives. As a result, we see concepts such as the Nottingham HOUSE playing a key role in the delivery of sustainable communities.

“Saint-Gobain is constantly researching and developing new ways of harnessing, conserving and generating energy and this project will show how companies within the Group can work together to offer total product solutions, demonstrating the breadth of expertise we can offer.”

Teams from the USA, Brazil, China, Mexico, Germany, Finland, France and Spain will compete in the final, supported by the Spanish Government’s Ministry of Housing and the US Department of Energy, which is expected to attract more than 100,000 visitors.

For further details on the Nottingham HOUSE please visit www.solardecathlon.saint-gobain.co.uk or visit stand 2290 at Ecobuild.