Solar Decathlon 2021 Project Aurora

Solar Decathlon competetion


Solar Decathlon 2021 focusses on sustainable development, smart connection and human health. Each houes will be judged in 10 different competetions, where juries and meassurements will rank the different solutions. A board of juries from around the world each experts in their field will give their input on the final house. During the even not only the performance but also the operation of the house will be judged and social events such as a movie night to test out energy handling and the comfort of the houes with a dinner evening will be part of the event.


Architecture

This Contest evaluates the building architectural design for its conceptual coherence, overall quality of implementation, new technology integration, and ability to deliver outstanding aesthetics and functionality along with site specific recommendations.


Engineering & Construction

This Contest evaluates the effective integration of high-performance engineering systems in energy-efficient and energy-producing buildings. Structural and engineering systems should be effectively integrated with any environmental opportunities. How well does the project perform in applying environment-friendly concepts to the entire building system? Does the design achieve reasonable resource recycling such as black water, construction waste, material reuse, life cycle, etc.


Energy

This Contest evaluates the renewable energy system for its production, efficiency, overall integration, and ability to respond to the local climate environment and target occupants as well as safety in the face of all the possible disruptions.


Communication

Communication quality can dramatically affect market perception and the likelihood of innovation adoption. A jury of communication professionals shall assign an overall score for each team's communication strategies, implementation, on-site and extended-term effect by reviewing the team's communication programs, materials, and implementation data.


Market Potential

This Contest evaluates the project for its potential contribution to the local city and regional market, target customers, productivity in local climate environment or industry, and future implementation plans.


Indoor Environment

This contest contemplates the overall quality in humidity, CO2, PM2.5 and lighting within a confined enclosed area. This contest runs on a time/period based scale as well as a ppm count.


Renewable Heating & Cooling

This contest builds from the overall experience of Space and Hot water usage as well as its general disposition for regular activities.


Home Life

For this contest, the evaluation of day-to-day scenarios of home appliances and activities are put to the test. Its core evaluation points are: refrigerator, freezer, clothes wash, clothes drying, Dinner party and Movie night


Interactive Experience

This Challenge draws upon all topics that correspond to the overall experience of the built house and its unfolding during the event periode. topics of relevance are: Media, Unfolding of the Theme day, a 24 house experience in the house and its interaction with the community overall.


Energy Self- Sufficiency

This category englobes measurements and appraisal of  energy usage and efficiency. Topics as net-Zero usage and Off-Grid capabilities will be evaluated as a starting point for it.





The Aurora House

The concept house of Aurora aims to provide flexible and scalable housing to the Danish and Chinese market. With a focus of utilizing the most technological efficient solutions to provide not only the lowest energy footprint but also the best indoor inhabitant climate, the house is will work as a benchmark for what future row houses can achieve.

The house has built in solar panels on the roof to optimize the input of solar power. Since the peak hours of usage is in the morning and evening, an organic roof contour allows for optimal conditions for the solar panels.

Operation and cost of the house is low and still keeping in line with a sustainable mindset. Since the house has to be shipped to China for the exhibition, it is necessary to allow easy disassembly, without giving up structural integrity. With this approach a full circular solution is obtained as the house can be taken apart once needed. Not only construction but also how the experience and indoor climate of the house works is taking into account. Air conditioning and temperature control is built into the house as a standard to make sure it’s comfortable to live in the house all year round

Aurora DTU Solar Decathlon 2021

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Inspired by the Chinese market and culture, the house contains a courtyard the inhabitant can social in. Since the houses in China are homes to more than just one kid families, the solution of having a flexible room to use through generations if needed is part of it. Combining many houses into a row, allows for flexible living quarters in case of single or couple inhabitants wish to live there as well. For the Scandinavian market the need for flexible living quarters is constantly increasing and the house would be able to solve the need for new living spaces where it would be placed.

Development and operation is done by students and leading industry partners. Students from all over the world are working together at DTU through courses to not only envision but also create the physical solution in the end. In collaboration with the industry it’s possible for the students to experience bleeding edge technology, and for the industry to grasp the coming generation of new engineers working practices. With the technology in place, the house will also work as a test lab to test out potential technologies that haven’t reached the market yet.