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A 45-strong team of students from The University of Nottingham represented Britain in the first ever Solar Decathlon Europe, which took place in Madrid, Spain in June 2010, to compete against 18 universities from across the World in designing, building and test-driving Europe’s most energy efficient home.

The Nottingham H.O.U.S.E (a family Home Optimising the Use of Solar Energy) is the result of academics, researchers and students from the various disciplines in the Department of Architecture and Built Environment collaborating with a select group of industrial sponsors and specialist consultants.This full-scale home is designed to the world’s most stringent design codes – The German Passivhaus Institute, UK Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6 (Zero-carbon), Lifetime Homes compliant & Secured by Design compliant. This is the first time all these codes have been combined within a house of this type - this in itself was a massive challenge despite the fact that students designed and built this as part of their teaching and learning experience at Nottingham. It is a fully functioning home, compliant with all UK building regulations.

The house attracted major sponsorship from Saint Gobain - a world leader in the design, production and distribution of construction materials, plus a number of important players in the built environment industry which are aiming to lead the way in the future of sustainable architecture.

The Nottingham H.O.U.S.E has many novel features to reduce energy, such as a new low energy cooling system developed by the University and partners. The home’s modular volumetric design allows it to be transported and assembled rapidly.

In March 2010, the H.O.U.S.E was shipped from Nottingham to London and assembled for the first time at Ecobuild 2010, the world’s largest event for sustainable design, construction and the built environment. At the beginning of June 2010 it travelled again to the Villa Solar in Madrid, where the student team assembled it and landscaped the garden in just a week.>2

Final location at the Creative Energy Homes Projectwww.creative-energy-homes.co.uk

Now the H.O.U.S.E has become part of the Creative Energy Homes Project at the University of Nottingham’s main campus for its long-term monitoring and dissemination of its technologies.

The H.O.U.S.E’s low energy technologies were put to the test in the Solar Decathlon competition’s 10 separate areas of expertise:

•The architectural merit of the home•Industrialisation and market viability•Engineering and construction•Solar systems•Electrical energy balance•Comfort conditions•Communication and social awareness•Household functionality•Innovation•Sustainability

This booklet details how the design of the H.O.U.S.E responded to each of the above criteria, as well as telling a little of the story of the project. When visiting the Nottingham H.O.U.S.E please look out for the all the sustainability features outlined here.

The Mark group Energy efficiency house

The Saint-Gobain Nottingham H.O.U.S.E

BASF house

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The Nottingham H.O.U.S.E was originally designed by Rachel Lee, Ben Hopkins and Chris Dalton, through a diploma studio at the University’s Department of the Built Environment. Groups of 5th year and Masters

students of architecture were asked to produce designs for a Zero Carbon house which could compete in the Solar Decathlon Europe competition, but would also form part of a sustainable master plan in a deprived

Home Optimising the Use of Solar Energyarea of Nottingham.Once the winning proposal had been selected, all of the students came together to refine the design, aided by consultation with industry partners for technical advice on products that

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Home Optimising the Use of Solar Energywould meet the ethos of sustainability, economy and innovation. Once the design had been progressed to a suitable stage, a unit of thirty second-year architecture students and fifteen third-year MEng students was enlisted

to help build the H.O.U.S.E, and it is this prototype that stands before you today.Please keep in mind that much of the information here about the H.O.U.S.E is related to its design performance

when located in Madrid. Long term monitoring of the H.O.U.S.E located in Nottingham will provide us with actual performance data for its location in a cooler climate with less solar energy resources.

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The Nottingham H.O.U.S.E has been designed for a small “starter” family. In addition, it provides interesting and useful spaces to encourage and support family life.

Furthermore, it offers comfortable interior spaces regardless of the season, nor the time of year, by employing environmental strategies that minimize energy consumption.

Sustainability as a concept has been explored through the idea of treating the H.O.U.S.E as a module and using its repetition to form a continuous urban fabric. In doing so, this creates an extensive urban landscape.

ENGINEERED TIMBER CASSETTE STRUCTURES

THERMAL & ACOUSTIC INSULATION + AIRTIGHTNESS MEMBRANE

PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS

RIGIDUR H LINING

WINDOWS

ROOF MEMBRANE

PTFE SHEERFILL V FABRIC

ALUMINIUM CLADDING CHANNELS AND COPINGS

ALUMINIUM DOWN PIPES

THERMOWOOD CLADDING

GULL WING TRIPLE GLAZED SKYLIGHT

ACOUSTIC CEILING & WALL PANEL SYSTEMS

EXPOSED PLYWOOD

SANITARYWARE & FITTINGS, SOLAR PANELS (AVANCIS)

GLASS BALUSTRADES

GREY WATER RECYCLING UNIT

SOIL AND DRAIN, AND RAINWATER SYSTEMS

BESPOKE TIMBER DOORSCRANE OPERATIONS

FUNDATIONS ON FINAL LOCATION

HOUSE TRANSPORTATION

MVHR UNIT

WORK SURFACES AND BAMBOO FLOOR

MICROWATT CONTROL SYSTEMS

LOW ENERGY LIGHTING

ECOS ORGANIC PAINTS

KITCHEN, GENERAL BUILDING MATERIALS, TOOL HIRE & PPE

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+02 ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION

A prefabricated modular construction scheme was employed to enable an efficient and controlled construction process, as well as to facilitate its transport to the site using lorries.

Materials were chosen with regards to minimizing total energy consumptions and maintaining an inexpensive structural scheme. This also allows the student team to build the majority of the house, as well as providing alternative teaching methods.

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+03 SOLAR SYSTEMS

Solar Thermal Technology Solar collector: 5m2

• Hot water for 2 people = 50 Lt / 60oC daily

Daily water budget

• Shower

• Dish washer

• Washing machine

• Cooking

• Passive down-draught evaporative cooling

• Water for dinner party

50 Lt

15 Lt

50 Lt

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80 Lt

Using a water budget that is specific to two people living in a house, it has been calculated that each person will require 50 litres of water at 60oC per day (which will be mixed with cold water afterwards). To obtain this, 9.45KWh/day will be required.This requirement will be met using solar thermal energy technology. In this case, a 5m2 south facing inclined solar collector has been integrated into the roof.

Two types of solar energy systems have been developed in order to meet the house’s full energy demands:

• Solar Electric Energy Demand • Solar Thermal Energy Demand

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Solar Electric ThecnologyPV Array 24m2

• Lighting • Electrical appliances• Heating & Cooling

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Lighting & appliances

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electrical energy balance graph

The energy balance analysis illustrated in the graph shows a surplus of electrical energy generated by the PV array when compared to the electrical energy demands of the house.

This surplus will be exported to the grid, allowing energy demands to be offset when they are not met by the PV array. As a result, the house achieves full energy self-sufficiency.

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+05 COMFORT CONDITIONS

SHADOW ANALYSIS

• Summer Solstice

• Winter Solstice

Passive environmental design strategies have been incorporated into the design to provide a comfortable environment. The building envelope is heavily insulated and the use of glazing is controlled to offer good daylight, to reduce summer gains and to maximize winter gains.

The PV array system on the roof prevents excess solar gains, and provides electricity for the H.O.U.S.E including the mechanical ventilation and heat recovery system. These systems are used for ventilation, heating, and cooling when passive methods are inappropriate.

In addition, a Passive Evaporative Cooling System has been developed in the double height space. These cooling strategy challenges will take their full effect in the Madrid summer.

• Temperature • Humidity • Acoustic • Lighting • Air quality

VENTILATION STRATEGY

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+06 APPLIANCES

Dining

Cooker & oven

Fridge & Freezer

Washing machine

Computer

Dishwasher

TV & DVD Player

Tumble dryer

Lighting and appliances have the highest energy demands within the house. As a result, a 24m2 PV array is incorporated on the roof to meet these electrical demands of a contemporary house.

POSSIBLE BOYS MADRID CASUAL/CONSTRUCTION ATTIRE

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Room 04Q. CCS in building materials - Mercedes Maroto-Valer (confirm location)R. Microwave exfoliation of vermiculite – Chris Dodds (confirm location)S. ETC – Keith Baker (confirm location)T. Relevant MSc programmes/Faculty/UoN info – Jill Minter

PANELS AND DISPLAY CONTENTS (FIRST FLOOR):

Room 02L. Relevant images of all research projects presentedM. Summary of projects, location map, main objectives of the research division (confirm data / source)

Room 03N. PHDC - Brian Ford & Mirentxu UlloaO. Coolphase - David EtheridgeP. Pulse Leakage Testing - Ed Cooper

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Ground floor

First floor

The team developed an intense communications strategy using a variety of marketing techniques and organising public activities to raise awareness and involve the project in the public eye. This has included workshops with Special Professors, participation at an event in Madrid, press events with the sponsors, etc.

A key element for disseminating the project has been our presence on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites; but also extremely important was our presence at Ecobuild 2010 and our various VIP day events, chiefly the Sat Bains Cookery Master class. Both these events are detailed in this brochure. When the H.O.U.S.E was back in Nottingham, visits were facilitated through the Ten Act10n project.

PANELS AND DISPLAY CONTENTS (GROUND FLOOR):

H MAINLY IMAGES OF STUDENTS BUILDING THE HOUSEI SPONSORS PANEL / ALL SPONSORS ARE NAMED AND DESCRIBED AROUND THE HOUSE AXO VIEWJ PLASMA 3 / SPONSORS INFORMATION IN SUPPORT OF PANEL I

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5 ENTRANCE HALL / THE PROCESS / 2:006 CORNER / THE SYSTEMS, KITCHEN, ETC / 3:007 LIVING / THE EXPERIENCE / 3:008 COURTYARD / FINAL WORDS AND FURTHER CONSULTATION (SAINT GOBAIN PERSON) / 3:009 SUB GROUP WAITING AREA TO GO UPSTAIRS (ACADEMIC AND INDUSTRIAL INTEREST)10 STAIRS TO GET TO 1ST FLOOR11 STAND EXIT

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+08 INDUSTRIALIZATION & MARKET VIABILITY

Assembly process

Animation used in a promotional video showing the journey of the house from Nottigham to Madrid

Our approach was orientated towards starter families, which happens to be a major requirement into the UK today. The design is a two-storey solution, which acts as part of a housing system that could potentially generate extensive urban landscapes. More specifically, each module could either form half of a semi-detached house or be part of a terrace, as well as continuing to provide each family with a private outdoor space.

The environmental strategies developed allow the house to be used in a wide-range of geographical contexts, either within the UK or throughout Europe. As a result, the chosen construction system is highly industrialized and employs a modular system which can be prefabricated, packaged and transported to a variety of sites. Nevertheless, it continues to sustain an efficient and controlled construction process.

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+09 INNOVATION & +10 SUSTAINABILITY

Summer Day Summer Night Spring Day

Environmental design stategies

The H.O.U.S.E was designed as a system that can be used in many different climatic contexts, therefore enhancing its market viability. Its systems can be adapted so that the house can perform efficiently in the southern conditions of Europe (Madrid), where the double height space is used for passive cooling through the evaporative system, as well as in the North of Europe (Nottingham), where the same space is used for passive ventilation through the stack effect.

An integral part of the Nottingham H.O.U.S.E design was the decision to create a two-story building that is “L” shaped on plan in order to provide a courtyard garden. This external space provides shading in summer and a focus for the public areas of the house. Furthermore, it allows the family to grow some of its own food, which often forms a large part of the family’s energy footprint.

These two aspects of the contest represented the strategic components of the proposal compared to the preceding 8 aspects and therefore are evaluated together.

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Spring Night Winter Day Winter Night

Grouping possibilities

The possibility of being able to form groups of the house enables the creation of sustainable communities and would therefore boost the use of systems and strategies.The H.O.U.S.E was awarded a “Sustainability” prize at the competition in Madrid.

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One of the tasks we undertook during the Solar Decathlon competition involved inviting fellow competitors to dinner to demonstrate the effectiveness and energy efficiency of the house - but also to share something special.

We teamed up with Sat Bains, a Nottingham-based Michelin Star chef, and Ian Dexter, an award-

winning landscape designer, to help us conceive a menu that uses traditional British ingredients (sourced from the house’s own garden) but blends them with a Spanish twist.

The Sat Bains Cookery Masterclass VIP event took place in May 2010, in Studio 7 of the Kings Meadow Campus at the University of Nottingham - the very studios we’d been building the H.O.U.S.E in!

Tom Corbett and Emily Costain, both members of the H.O.U.S.E Communications team, cooked alongside the Michelin star chef in front of a live studio audience. The event was an opportunity for the Nottingham H.O.U.S.E. team to thank the industrial sponsors of this

project, without whom we would not have been able to compete.

The Comms team reproduced this same meal - without Sat!, during the competition in Madrid.

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There have been many unifying and uplifting moments throughout this project, but the king of all these rushes was seeing the H.O.U.S.E., the planters, the posters and all standing vibrant and proud on the first morning of Ecobuild 2010.

Held in Earl’s Court Olympia, London, Ecobuild is biggest event in the world for sustainable design and construction. Over 1,500 organisations exhibit each year, representing the entire spectrum of sustainable construction products

for new build, refurbishment, residential and commercial projects.

We were kindly invited to exhibit at the 2010 event, which also offered us a chance to practice both the transport and assembly of the modules, and the presentation of the project.

We had many key visitors from the entire sphere of the built environment, including the then Minister for Housing. The H.O.U.S.E was awarded the first prize for best use of timber at Ecobuild.

ECOBUILD SHANGHAI EXPO 2010

The Nottingham H.O.U.S.E. (scale model, posters & videos) was exhibited as part of the Zero-Carbon, Zero Waste exhibit in the Zero Carbon, Zero Waste Pavilion and is a part of the Nottingham University and United Kingdom presence at the Shanghai Expo 2010.

Solar Decathlon Europe The University of Nottingham Faculty of Engineering

Saint Gobain Solar British Gypsum Ecophon Graham

Photovoltaic Systems Rigidur H Lining Acoustic Ceiling & Wall Panel Systems

Sanitaryware and fittings, solar panels (Avancis)

International Decorative Surfaces International Timber Isover Jewson

Work surfaces & bamboo floor

Thermowood cladding & external decking

Thermal and Acoustic Insulation

Kitchen, general building materials, tool hire and PPE

Pasquill Saint-Gobain PAM Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Glassolutions

Engineered Timber cassette structures

Soil and drain, and rainwater systems PTFE covering Windows, doors &

balustrades

Saint-Gobain is the world leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of construction materials, and is committed to meeting the fundamental challenges facing society today of growth, energy and the environment. Some of the UK and Ireland’s best known and respected companies, including those highlighted below, are part of Saint-Gobain. Together they offer high performance products and systems that can help to deliver low and zero carbon homes and buildings, as demonstrated in the Nottingham H.O.U.S.E.

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Corporate sponsor:

Institutional sponsors:

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Other construction sponsors:

Marley Alutec Aluminium downpipes

Netta FSC Timber, 6x12mm BB grade birch ply

Microwatt Control Systems & monitoring

Photonstar Low Energy Lighting

Ecoplay Grey water recycling system

Greenwood Airvac MVHR unit

Vaillant equipment

SIKA Sarnafil single ply PVC roof membrane

Roger Bullivant Foundations for house on final location

Birmingham Powder Coaters

Polyester Powder Coating to aluminium flashings and copings

Crown Aluminium Fabrication of aluminium flashing details

ECOS Organic Paints

Interior finishing for Rigidur boards

AM Profiles Aluminum profiles

Logistics sponsors:

DHL Supply Chain

Logistics, transportation of the house

Roger Bullivant

Crane operations in association with Crane Hire Solutions Ltd

interior design & equipment

Consultancy sponsors (project Partners):

Saint-Gobain Building technologies and materials consultant

Marsh & Grochowski Architects

Architecture detailing and build-ing control

Dewhurst MacFarlane & partners

Consulting structural and façade engineers

Max Fordham Consulting Engineers

M&E engineering

Davis Langdon Quantity survey and cost estimation

Evoenergy Photovoltaic systems

MicroWatt Consulting microelectronics and software engineers

Inbuilt Performance assessment consultancy

Nick Whitehouse MBE

Engineering consultant

Communications sponsors:

Ecobuild Stand

Sat Bains Menu design & Executive Chef

Lime Orchard (Ian Dexter)

Landscaping design

Philip Lee Food technologies

CG Vision (Ed Collard)

Video

Eight days a week printing solutions

Brochure printing

John E Wrights printers

Posters printing

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Produced by gguzmand @ the communications team of the Nottingham HOUSE at the Department of Architecture & Built Environment. 1st edition for the Solar Decathlon competition, printed by Comunicacion Impresa s.l. Madrid, Spain in June 2010. (5,000 units). 2nd Edition for the Ten Act10n Symposium, printed at DABE, October 2012. (100 units) 3rd edition for the Passive House Conference, printed by Saint Gobain, NOvember 2012 (2,000 units)

BEN HOPKINS - RACHEL LEE - CHRIS DALTON - MARK GILLOTT - GUILLERMO GUZMAN - BRIAN FORD - LUCELIA RODRIGUES - MICHAEL STACEY - ROBIN WILSON - DAVE OLIVER - MICHAEL SIEBERT - NINA HORMAZABAL - JOSÉ ANDRE - JONATHAN BARRON - TIMEKA BEECHAM - PETER BLUNDY - CHRISTIAN BRAILEY - THOMAS CORBETT - EMILY COSTAIN - ASH EVANS - VICTORIA FILLINGHAM - REBECCA FORD - SAMMY FULLER-TEED - PHILIP GILDER - ALISDAIR GRAY - HANNAH GRIFFITHS - TEUTA HASANI - BENJAMIN HEEDE - CHAPMAN KAN - UNJULEE KARADIA - SIMON KINVIG - FRANCES KIRK - MANYA KRISHNASWAMY - JOE LEACH - FRANCES LISTER - STEPHEN LLOYD - STEPHEN LOVEJOY - GARETH MARRIOTT - WILLIAM MARSHALL - DANIEL MCKIE - LUCIA MILONE - BHAVIK MORAR - JANET PANG - TRUSHA PATEL - WLLIAM SLACK - MUSTAFA TEKMAN - KATHERINE TOKARSKI - ELIZABETH VINCENT - LOUISE VITTY - WANG MANG YUAN - LONG-FEI XIANG - JOSEPH YATES - PAWAN SHARMA - IZZI SMITH - JULIE-ANNE WALKER - and many more....