The house won the Solar Decathlon Europe 2010 Lumenhaus

More than 190,000 people have visited Villa Solar, the exposure of households participating in the first Solar Decathlon held in Europe. Please see below the project Lumenhaus the house by winning the Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, who has earned the award for being the most efficient.

The houses of the University of Applied Sciences Rosenheim and the Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences have been awarded the second and third in the standings. The houses voted by the public have been the FablabHouse the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia and the SML House Cardenal Herrera CEU University. The house favorite Internet Re has been the focus of the University of Florida.
Lumenhaus is a pavilion of 800 m2 modern design, inspired by the famous Farnsworth House by Mies Van Der Rohe. With the exception of the bathroom, which has been located in the center of the house, the house has an open plan that integrates with an outdoor terrace through two walls completely practicable. The property is therefore a very flexible distribution that allows a large number of different programs and program space as well as multiple opportunities for natural light and ventilation.
The main feature of the house is called the eclipse system, consisting of two sliding panels, a translucent polycarbonate insulating panel with aero-gel insulation inside, and a perforated stainless steel shutter with laser-cut circles as a specific algorithm for each location, which also optimizes the light and privacy. At night, these aero-gel panels are illuminated by an LED lighting system operated by solar energy stored during the day for two double-sided solar panels. The angle of the panels can be adjusted from 0 to 17 degrees for optimal energy efficiency. Heating is by underfloor heating system, all building materials are organic, and a computer system allows the owner to maintain the microclimate of the house from a mobile phone. The house features a recycling system that allows rainwater for human consumption, while reusable gray water through a bio-filter system.
Founded in 1872 as Agricultural and Mechanical College, Virginia Tech is now an extensive and innovative university and the state’s largest by number of students. From the combination of learning, discovery and engagement, it seeks to fulfill its motto, “To serve.”