University of Rosenheim is the best German participant at the international collegiate “Solar Decathlon Europe 2010”

Rosenheim/Madrid, 27th of June 2010 – “Team IKAROS Bavaria” from the University of Applied Sciences in Rosenheim was the best German team, the best European participant and achieved a second place finish overall at the international collegiate competition “Solar Decathlon Europe 2010” in Madrid.  The competition called for students from around the world to develop energy efficient and innovative solar-powered houses.  Seventeen participating teams from around the world gathered in Madrid to present their completed projects between the 17th and the 27th of June 2010.

“We finished as the best German team, received great marks for the quality of our work and we are the ‘Champions of the Hearts.’ Thus, the team from Rosenheim reached the proposed goals,” says Marcus Wehner, projectmanager of the team.

This year was the first time the Solar Decathlon was held in Europe.  It was organized by the U.S. Department of Energy together with the Spanish Government and the Spanish Ministry for Homebuilding.  Richard King, the inventor of the original Solar Decathlon in the U.S., attended the awards ceremony on the evening of the 27^th of June and expressed his enthusiasm for the successful event and representation of teams from China, the U.S., Finland, Spain, France, England and Germany.  The German teams competing in the competition were from Berlin, Stuttgart, Wuppertal and Rosenheim.

For ten days, the solar houses were presented to a panel of expert judges and to the public. Teams were judged according to their energy efficiency, construction, innovation and sustainability, as well as the communication strategy. At the same time, a multitude of data was taken to examine the functionality, ambient conditions and energetic behaviour of the house.

The collegiate team from Rosenheim achieved first place in the following categories: Comfort Conditions, Lighting, Electrical Energy Balance and Appliances / Functioning. Second place was awarded in Industrialization and Market Viability of the Solar House and third place in the disciplines of Architecture, and Engineering and Construction.

Rules and regulations were set to simulate a real life scenario at given times of the day for each team and also to allow the public to view the house. Daily tours were led to raise the public’s awareness of energy efficient and sustainable construction.

The fifty member team, “IKAROS Bavaria,” was composed of students from the faculties of Applied Sciences and Humanities, Computer Science, Interior Architecture, Wood Technology and Construction and Industrial Engineering.  The students were occupied with the solar house project for almost two years, while continuing with their challenging study programs. “Beginning with the development of a design, the planning and construction of the house, the search for corporate partners and negotiating with sponsors, up to the competition in Madrid, the students – with the support of their professors, sponsors and corporate partners – carried most of the responsibility. They deserve the highest praise (for this),” said Professor Mathias Wambsganß, Vice president of the University of Rosenheim and responsible for the department of Research and Development, congratulating the team on site. Professor Heinrich Köster, president of the University of Rosenheim, also spoke highly of the students when he came to support their efforts on the last day of the competition.

After the competition, Rosenheim’s Solar House will be located in the Bavarian Landesgartenschau in Rosenheim and will be inaugurated by Dr. Wolfgang Heubisch, the Bavarian Minister of Science, Research and Art, on the 24^th of July 2010.

• http://solar-decathlon.fh-rosenheim.de/medien/presskit/
• Information about the “Solar Decathlon Europe 2010“ found at
  http://www.sdeurope.org/
• Daily new pictures at:
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/solar-decathlon
• Homepage of Rosenheim’s Solar-Decathlon project
  http://solar-decathlon.fh-rosenheim.de/