PRESS RELEASE

MED IN ITALY TO PARTICIPATE IN SOLAR DECATHLON 2012

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY A MEDITERRANEAN HOUSE WILL COMPETE

IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES OF GREEN ARCHITECTURE

Rome, 11 April 2011. A house that produces six times the energy it consumes, that can be constructed in two days and set up in eight, a house that could even be useful in the aftermath of an emergency like an earthquake or helpful in a dramatic situation like that of providing shelter for refugees who are fleeing a conflict. A house that is especially adapted to the heat, that has been imagined and then built to resist climate changes. One that is perfect to serve as a structure for sustainable tourism. A house designed to be built with local materials so as to blend in with all environments. And, a house that consumes only one quarter of the energy used in traditional homes.

MED in Italyis the design produced by a team of professors and students from the University of Roma TREin partnership with the Industrial Design Laboratory of La Sapienza that will participate in the Solar Decathlon, the international competition promoted by the United States of America’s Department of Energy and which is a real Olympic Games of green architecture. This design was presented today at the Italian stampa estera together with the model of the house that will be designed in minute detail and sent to Madrid after more than a year of further work. MED in Italy will participate in the Spanish capital in September 2012 in this competition of housing prototypes together with 19 other houses coming from 14 countries: Brazil, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Norway, Holland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and Hungary.

It’s the first time in 9 years, starting from the first Solar Decathlon in 2002, that an Italian team has been chosen to compete in this worldwide competition of sustainable architecture. To win this coveted prize for being “the most ecological building of the year” contestants will have to pass 10 tests (hence the name decathlon): the challenge follows an architectural course including engineering and construction, energy efficiency, electrical energy balance, comfort conditions, house functioning, communication and social awareness, industrialization and market viability, innovation, and sustainability. For each test the prototypes will receive a score from an international jury (up to a maximum score, depending on the sector, of 80 or 120 points).

“Actually, our true victory is in having been chosen among the hundreds of designs presented: this selection gave us the right to an award financial prize that has allowed us to start the design for our prototype”, explains Architect Chiara Tonelli, team leader for MED in Italy. “In substance, this bioclimatic house is designed with special attention to insulation from the heat rather than from the cold. Ecological architecture has, in the last ten years, more northern characteristics than southern, but we native to the Mediterranean have an antique tradition that we have recovered and reinterpreted in our design. Consequently, our house will remain insulated from the outside during the hottest hours of the day and will open up when the sun goes down. An open space patio will act as a refreshing area. The vast amount of traditional know-how regarding the Mediterranean region will be transformed into contemporary architecture and will be beautiful to behold. Moreover, all the technologies of low energy consumption and the use of solar panels will be added to this know-how: MED in Italy will produce more energy than it consumes”.

MED in Italy will produce 11,400 kWh every year with its solar panels but it will consume only one sixth of this energy: so the house will feed almost 9,500 kWh into the system. In 20 years there will be 121 tons of CO₂ saved, as if the residents had planted a small, 120 tree forest. The less CO₂, the more comfort and savings: the efficiency of the system will allow the house to function perfectly, with appliances, lighting, hot water and adequate living temperatures, decreasing the expense of the electric bill by approximately 84% (only one sixth of what a conventional house would cost will be spent).

An outstanding achievement which has been reached through an evaluation which takes into account the performance of all the appliances present: every corner of the house will be designed keeping in mind how much each will influence the overall energy savings of the home. Washing machines that guarantee the whitest white without exceeding 43.5°C, dishwashers that don’t exceed 49°C: the commitment will also be substantial from the point of view of the Italian industry network and the team is gathering together sponsors and the necessary experts to take care of each and every detail.

However, it is not only the energetic nor ecological performance that make up the asset of the Italian team which will participate in the European Solar Decathlon (the competition is held in alternate years in the United States and in Europe, and starting from 2013 also in China). Within the details of the rules of the competition the pleasing architectural lines will also have an important influence on the final score, as will the ease in building and replicating, and the comfort in living: among the tests, for example, there are three dinners planned in which the participating teams will have to prepare and serve the other contestants, who will then judge them. The communication ability will be evaluated in this way: this press release will be looked at by the international jury, together with the services produced following this press conference.

“MED in Italy carries with it a style of life”, explains Carlo Alberto Pratesi, Sponsorship manager for the team.  “The famous Mediterranean Diet does not consist solely in the food that is served.  Around here we don’t just open the fridge to take out whatever’s there, some pre-cooked food or meal to be swallowed while standing in front of the television:  we, on the contrary, eat at fixed hours, everyone all together, conversing all the while. This is as good for you as the use of vegetables and cereals which characterize our meals. The house will therefore be a real live example of the Mediterranean way of life”.

The design for the Mediterranean house has received the High Honors of the President of the Republic.  Casaclima Agency is a business partner.  The technical and professional sponsors are: Massimo Catalani, Pasquinelli SpA and Rubner Haus AG.

For further information contact:

Silverback - Greening the Communication

Paola Richard - p.richard@silverback.it – mobile 366 1645501

Giovanni Nani – mobile 335 474212