Natural building blocks out of hemp

The hemp plant (Cannabis sativa L.) gets a bad rap because of its association with drugs, but it was already in use 8.000 years ago and is present today in a wide array of sectors ranging from medicines, body care products, and clothing to the automotive industry.

One promising application for this plant is as a building material for Bioclimatic architecture in the form of a brick.

The Spanish newspaper El Mundo reports about Cannabric (Spanish only), a company launched nine years ago by the German architect Monika Brümmer in Guadix, province of Granada. Her career project researching vegetable building materials led her to this hemp product, achieved through an arduous trial and error process.

(Photo: Courtesy of Cannabric)

This “eco-brick” is composed of industrial hemp, natural slaked lime and a mixture of minerals. The higher price this brick commands versus a traditional one is more than compensated by a series of advantages:

• Growing hemp improves the condition of the ground. It is a robust and fast-growing plant that requires neither herbicides nor pesticides during its cultivation.
• Industrial hemp has a very low thermal conductivity, producing a brick with vastly superior insulation properties against both cold and heat.
• It produces no toxic by products and is fully recyclable
• It absorbs sound and is non-flammable

It is a popular material in the cave houses typical of the area around Guadix, in Granada and it is also gaining ground in other regions around Spain, as it is especially suited to areas reaching extremes of temperature in summer and winter. It has even been used in the restoration of a monastery in the province of Palencia. Hemp bricks have also been used in projects in France and England.

The house in the woods

And now for something completely different. After seeing all the technology displays during the Solar Decathlon, this low impact house in the Welsh countryside is a sort of back-to-basics counterpoint showing another way of thinking outside the box.

(Credits: Simon Dale)

Some key points of its design and construction:

• Dug into hillside for low visual impact and shelter
• Stone and mud from diggings used for retaining walls, foundations etc.
• Frame of oak thinnings (spare wood) from surrounding woodland
• Reciprocal roof rafters are structurally and aesthaetically fantastic and very easy to do
• Straw bales in floor, walls and roof for super-insulation and easy building
• Plastic sheet and mud/turf roof for low impact and ease
• Lime plaster on walls is breathable and low energy to manufacture (compared to cement)
• Reclaimed (scrap) wood for floors and fittings
• Anything you could possibly want is in a rubbish pile somewhere (windows, burner, plumbing, wiring…)
• Woodburner for heating – renewable and locally plentiful
• Flue goes through big stone/plaster lump to retain and slowly release heat
• Fridge is cooled by air coming underground through foundations
• Skylight in roof lets in natural feeling light
• Solar panels for lighting, music and computing
• Water by gravity from nearby spring
• Compost toilet
• Roof water collects in pond for garden etc.

(Credits: Simon Dale)
Simon Dale, the builder (along with his father-in-law) is a graphic arts designer and photographer. His pictures are mainly about landscapes and they are really beautiful, by the way, don´t miss them.

A look back at the Solar Decathlon 2007

So, the coolest little village this side of the Atlantic closed its doors last Friday. The Solar Decathlon ended with a German winner, the team from Technische Universitat Darmstadt.

They beat out 20 teams of architecture, engineering and business students from the United States, Canada, Germany, Puerto Rico and Spain to win the third annual event. The teams competed in ten different contests to design, build, and operate attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered homes.

Oak louvers on the Technishe Universitat Darmstadt’s solar powered home provide shading and privacy for visitors to the Solar Decathlon on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Oct. 13.
(Credit: Jim Tetro/Solar Decathlon)

Teams were granted $100,000 each to spend over about two years to design and build an 800-square-foot home powered entirely by solar energy, with off-the-shelf solar-electric panels. The homes did not use fossil fuels and yielded no carbon emissions. Normally, they include high-tech gadgets that allow comfort and convenience without compromising respect for the environment.

On top of that, each house had to produce enough extra electricity to power an electric car.

Although it could be well said that everybody was a winner here and all the houses had interesting ideas and cool features, the three ones that came out on top were:

1st: Technische Universität Darmstadt
TUD won the Architecture, Lighting, and Engineering contests. Darmstadt was, besides, one of seven teams to score an impressive 100 points in the Energy Balance contest.

2nd: University of Maryland
Maryland won the Communications contest and was second in Architecture, Market Viability, and Lighting. They were also one of the teams to score 100 points in the Energy Balance contest.

3rd: Santa Clara University
They scored 100 points in the Hot Water contest and also 100 points in the Energy Balance contest, and besides that they built a public-friendly and entertaining house tour that was praised by the jury. Funnily enough, they almost did not make it to the competition, as they had transportation problems on the way there.

The two teams I was tracking did not do too bad. The University of Illinois elementhouse was 1st in the “Comfort zone” “Market viability” contests and ended in 9th position altogether. The Madrid team (UPM) earned third place in the architectural portion of the competition and was fifth in the final score.

The success of the Solar Decathlon is manifested in how the houses in past competitions are being used or replicated. According to the US Energy Secretary Mr. Bodman in his closing ceremony and awards remarks, the winning 2002 University of Colorado house is now the core of a bigger house owned by the former president of the Solar Energies Industries Association. The Rhode Island School of Design house from 2005 is being installed as faculty housing at a private school in Portsmouth. The previous two University of Missouri at Rolla entries are being used as student housing. And the New York Institute of Technology’s 2005 house is permanently installed at the United States Merchant Marine Academy as a renewable energy research center

In that same speech, Mr. Bodman also announced that the Department is making up to $44.1 million available to support the commercialization and promotion of solar and energy efficient technologies. Up to $4.1 million of that funding will be used to establish centers that promote these technologies to the building trades and homeowners.

Some technologies he found worth noting were:

The translucent roof atop the Georgia Institute of Technology’s entry that employs a new technology already in use in large scale buildings around the world

The structural bamboo I-beams in the Santa Clara University house

The liquid desiccant waterfall that removes humidity with very little energy, greatly reducing the job of the air conditioner that the University of Maryland had on display in its house.

You may check out a short video of each of the 20 homes at Blue Egg, an eco-lifestyle media company.

 

U.S. and Spain to Develop Solar Decathlon Europe

Casa Solar  (above and down below) from the UPM at Washington (pictures courtesy of Inhabitat)

Press release from the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Public Affairs, Washington, D.C.

Today U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Alexander Karsner and Spain’s Undersecretary of Housing Fernando Magro Fernández signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate in the development of a Solar Decathlon Europe competition in 2010. The Solar Decathlon is a competition which challenges university-led teams to build the most attractive and efficient solar-powered homes, held on the National Mall in Washington, DC.

Under the MOU signed today, the DOE will assist in developing a similar event in Europe. “The twin challenges of increasing energy security and confronting climate change are global in nature – the solutions will require multilateral action. DOE’s Solar Decathlon is supporting a new generation of student engineers, architects, designers, and communicators, while demonstrating that solar energy technologies are available here and now,” Assistant Secretary Karsner said. “With three successful Solar Decathlons to show, the Department of Energy looks forward to lending our expertise to encourage the same innovation and entrepreneurial spirit across the Atlantic and around the world.” 

Under the non-binding MOU, both countries will exchange information regarding rules, scoring, judging, safety, and site and team selection for a Solar Decathlon Europe event. Spain’s Housing Ministry will establish a framework for a European edition of Solar Decathlon in collaboration with DOE. The initial plans call for the Solar Decathlon Europe to take place on years in which a Solar Decathlon is not taking place in the United States. Both nations will contribute members to an oversight committee, which will approve plans and activities, and evaluate success of the program.

“We have great hope that the development of a European edition of the Solar Decathlon competition, to take place in Madrid in 2010,” Spanish Undersecretary of Housing Fernando Magro said.

“This event not only furthers the ties between the United States and Europe but it will also further foster the development and use of energy efficient and sustainably developed housing throughout the world.”

Three Solar Decathlon events have been held in the United States since 2002. DOE’s Solar Decathlon will continue to be held in the United States; the fourth event will be held in Washington, DC in fall 2009.

This year, more than 100,000 people are expected to tour the solar village. DOE’s Solar Decathlon is open to the public through Saturday, October 20, 2007.   For full event information and high-resolution photos, visit the Solar Decathlon website.

The Solar village comes to life

The newest neighborhood in Washington has sprung to life. 20 University teams are showcasing on the National Mall their energy-independent homes, equipped with technological advances that provide maximized energy efficiency.

The Solar Decathlon (see our previous coverage here) is a bi-annual competition in ecological design and engineering. Judging will take place on October 17th and competition winners will be announced on October 19th. The entire event is open to the public with tours, workshops, and awards ceremonies for the most promising and practical showings. It is a part of the Solar America Initiative, which seeks to make solar energy cost-competitive with conventional forms of electricity by 2015.

There have been two prior competitions, in 2002 and 2005. The reigning champion is the University of Colorado that, having won twice, remains the team to beat. This year´s edition brings more teams, including the first participation from the M.I.T. and a German university, Darmstadt.

The Illinois team comes from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Residents of Chicago that miss the contest will have a second chance to visit their house, at the Greenbuild Expo later in November (7-9).

Though my alma mater does not compete (Complutense), I can take solace in the fact that my hometown will be represented through the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (UPM). It is the second time they participate in the competition. In their debut, the UPM presented a Mediterranean-style house, Magic Box. This time round, their project has been called Casa Solar

The team has been very active in making it known. It offers the possibility of a virtual tour at its website, it has been showcased at a Real State Show in Spain, Sima, and it even has a presence in Second Life, for seasoned netizens.

According to Sergio Vega, the director of the Solar Decathlon project for the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid: “The Solar Decathlon is an opportunity for Spain to demonstrate its expertise in the area of sustainable living. This year, we’ve applied these advancements to an American-style home to create not only an eco-friendly structure but one with all the modern conveniences that make it truly livable.”

Casa Solar contains a system of ‘smart’ foundations and double-paned windows with an interlayer of air that allows for intelligent control of its features. Additional elements include:

— A technical floor equipped with phase-changing gels which allows for natural cooling and heating of the house

— A Photovoltaic Array system by Isofoton captures solar energy on the 800 square foot roof and converts it into electricity

— A system of window shades that prevent the loss of energy accumulated inside the home during the night, as well as systems of localized complementary insulation

— A waste collection system that is easily accessible from the kitchen counter which facilitates the separation of different types of waste with little effort. Separating waste makes it easier and cheaper to recycle.

The house has been designed with the concept of “Market viability” very much in mind, a new area the contest organizers are evaluating this year. Casa Solar has the advantage of its building flexibility as it has all the facilities ‘packages’ for the home together in a core, a sort of “technological backpack” which acts as a thermal buffer and is located in the coolest area of the house.

See a detailed profile of each of the teams at this pdf file (Competition program)

Solar energy comes to market

Boqueria Market in Barcelona
Originally uploaded by Icekahlua

The popular Carmel market in Barcelona now has photovoltaic energy panels financed by citizens. “At the market everyone´s fighting against climate change” is an initiative of Markets of Barcelona and the Terra Foundation.

The initiative´s singular characteristic is that the project counts on the participation of ordinary people. The project has been dubbed the “Ola Solar del Carmel” (Carmel Solar Wave).

The concept of Ola Solar has been coined by the Terra Foundation to describe inexpensive solar installations designed to fit a sustainable capitalist model where “waves of solar citizens” may participate.

The stall owners at the market have shown their interest in buying shares in the project, which run from 1,000 to 3,000 euros ($1,413 to $4,240 approx.). This isn´t a donation but rather an investment, meaning that the citizens will get a return on their investment, which is guaranteed to be at least as high as inflation. The generation center has a power of 43.7 kWh and it is expected to produce up to 5,000 kWh/year. The estimated gross return is forecast to amount to 28,000 euros ($39,575) and the pollution savings to reach 25 tonnes of CO2.

Ola Solar at Carmel Market, Barcelona
(Pictures courtesy of the Terra Foundation)

The project wil make Carmel Market into one of the first public facilities to unite people in fighting against climate change through investments in renewable energies. The project goes one step further than the rest of the programs that Markets of Barcelona already carries out in the area of environmental responsability, like selective garbage collection, its posterior treatment and a commitment to install solar panels in those markets in Barcelona that are still to be refurbished.

The completely sustainable house

(Tree Hugger reports:) Last week, Construmat, the biggest International Building Show, opened its doors in Barcelona. This year, the show has dedicated a whole pavilion to Sustainable Construction where it was possible to visit the R4House, designed by the Valencian architect Luis de Garrido.

The R4House prototype consists of two bioclimatic homes (one of 1615 sq. feet and a mini-flat of 323 sq. feet) made from materials that close the loop, such as bamboo and even wool as insulation. The energy consumption of both is zero due to its bioclimatic design with green roofs, the solar panels and the geothermal energy source. The waste production during construction is also zero. Both homes are modular and built from six recycled shipping containers; low-cost and allowing flexibility.

(Virtual model courtesy of Construible)

The 4 Rs stand for Reuse, Recover, Recycle and Reasoning with the latter being the most important says Garrido. “With the construction sector being very inert and sustainable architecture looking to establish itself, reasoning is required to redesign the construction process and lower its negative impact on the environment.” The construction materials as well as interior ones have been carefully chosen and are all recycled as well as recyclable. 28 companies from all sorts of fields have sponsored this effort.

Garrido proposes a concept that embraces “the beauty of imperfection” to mimimize the waste generated by an excess of design.

The R4House is however not only ecological but also economical in terms of pricing. The construction cost of the 1615 sq. feet space is $80,946 and the small home costs $16,189.

Via: Construible (in Spanish only)

Link from the Trade Show: Construmat

Solar homes for the world of tomorrow

For some days in October, the National Mall in Washington, D.C. will become a “solar village” with teams from different colleges and universities around the globe, participating in an unparalleled competition, the Solar Decathlon, to design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered home.

All 20 teams selected to participate in the event present cutting-edge technologies and compete in 10 different categories to determine the winner.

These 10 categories are: Architecture, Engineering, Market Viability, Communications, Comfort Zone, Appliances, Hot Water, Lighting, Energy Balance and Getting Around.

Past Decathlons took place in the fall of 2005 and fall of 2002. During each of the past Solar Decathlons, more than 100,000 visitors flocked to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to visit the “solar village.”

In 2005, as in 2002, the University of Colorado team took home the top trophy by achieving the highest combined score for all ten Solar Decathlon contests. Second-place Cornell, third-place Cal Poly, and fourth-place Virginia Tech each won two individual contests in 2005.

As the only European participant in 2005, with a house dubbed the “Magic Box“, the Spanish team from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (U.P.M.) has again been chosen to participate in this year´s edition.

“Magic Box“ overall final place in the competition was ninth, but many aspects it included were well liked (e.g. it won third place in the Lighting contest), so it has also been selected by the Chinese government to be showcased in the Beijing Future House Demo Park to open in June.

Because of its characteristic shape and color, “White wing” is the name given to this year´s UPM project. A key factor to consider is that the homegrown technologies that it incorporates are market-ready for commercialisation.

We will keep an eye on the developments around this interesting contest and the different teams. As always, a video is worth a thousand posts, so I will let this little clip do the explaining for me of the whole contest. It is a preview of a film that followed the steps of the team from the University of California in the 2005 Solar Decathlon: