Solar Decathlon

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The history of the small Rhineland-Palatinate town of Baumholder is closely linked to the development of Germany and Europe after the end of the Second World War. After the establishment of the US garrison on the former military training area of the German Wehrmacht, the “American way of life” began its triumphant advance in the western world from here in the 1950s and 1960s. The consequences of events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall and the attack on the World Trade Center (9/11) and the resulting change in the global political situation are also reflected on a small scale in the region. More than enough material for a unique regional museum, which opened in fall 2018 after a long period of planning. Just as unusual as the museum’s orientation is its location: the “Golden Angel”. The former inn became world-famous in 1962 thanks to the Swiss “Magnum” photographer René Burri, who made it the cover of his book “The Germans”. In 1959, he visited not only the major German cities but also Baumholder, which at the time was a viewing window and crossroads of post-war Germany. The building was converted into a cultural center with great effort and attention to detail and, in addition to the museum, houses the city library, a café and the city’s tourist information office.

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Ecological, sustainable, technologically innovative, architecturally sophisticated and affordable: this was the challenge for the participants of the Solar Decathlon. The Vienna University of Technology team managed to square the circle in 2013 when it came out on top of 20 finalists in California in the international university competition for sustainable construction organized every two years by the US Department of Energy. His entry, named LISI for “Living Inspired by Sustainable Innovation”, a plus-energy atrium house made almost entirely of wood, was convincing in all ten evaluation disciplines.

Using a combination of modular lightweight construction, ecological materials and renewable energy, the Austrian students developed a high-quality, sustainable and affordable residential building that can be flexibly adapted to the needs of its residents. LISI is divided into three zones: Service core, living area and adjoining inner courtyards, which can be closed off by a flexible outer shell. The center of the house is the spacious living area, which can be freely arranged as all storage space has been integrated into the walls. Large sliding doors open onto the inner courtyards, extending the central living space and creating a connection between inside and outside. Mobile horizontal and vertical shading elements ensure optimum energy savings. Almost exclusively renewable raw materials and ecological materials were used. LISI consists of 96 percent wood, which was used for construction and thermal insulation as well as for wall and ceiling cladding, flooring and furniture. A photovoltaic system integrated into the roof generates the energy for the environmental showcase house. Cold and hot water for heating and cooling is supplied by two reversible air-to-water heat pumps. A ventilation module, which acts as a heat and moisture exchanger, ensures a pleasant indoor climate.

The central transmission system is the ClimaLevel Multiboden HKL. The innovative floor construction combines heating, cooling and ventilation in one system. The combination of conventional underfloor heating and airflow makes this solution as responsive as it is energy-efficient. In addition, the sophisticated ventilation technology ensures the required constantly stable, optimum room climate – even under the special climatic conditions of the exhibition venue in Irvine, California. Thanks in part to the efficient and economical multi-floor system from ClimaLevel GmbH, LISI scored highly in all relevant competition categories and was named the “most innovative solar house in the world”.

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