The valiant tale of the Nottingham H.O.U.S.E’s stint at the Solar Decathlon Europe was recounted on ITV Central News both last night and the night before. Click here to see yesterday’s show, and fast forward to 20:43 to see our story!
Tom
Ladies and Gentlemen,
For us with the Nottingham H.O.U.S.E, the Solar Decathlon Europe competition did not run exactly as we had expected. We imagined a month spent in the Sun celebrating our build, but in reality we had a lot more work to undertake before any sangria passed our lips… But here, a little later than planned, is a short recap of our time in Madrid.
On June 7th construction began smoothly, but soon enough the team were impeded by weather of biblical proportions. The worst storms to hit Madrid in over 50 years, coupled with our plot being the lowest point along the Villa Solar site, lead to harsh flooding and the build being dragged about three days behind schedule – despite the valiant and frankly phenomenal efforts of all members of the construction team.
What followed were excruciatingly long shifts of soil-shovelling and decoration, whilst the plumbing and electrical systems of the H.O.U.S.E were put in around us – a task made more difficult by the fact the modules were slightly misaligned, since the crane had had to position them whilst on unstable ground.
However, by the time the Solar Decathlon event began in earnest, the whole ground floor was finished to exhibition standard. We welcomed all visitors for full tours in English, or in Spanish thanks to our own fluent team members and our glamorous assistants from the organisation itself. This of course was the most exciting time of the competition – being able to present the H.O.U.S.E, to express our ideas and ideals, and to welcome thousands of people per day into our four walls.
I’ve spoken of the hugely encouraging public reaction before, as well as the brilliant events we hosted at the H.O.U.S.E outside of visiting hours – but safe to say that the huge sense of pride we got from presenting the project still hasn’t faded. More disappointing, of course, was our performance in the competition – but again, I won’t drag that up now, and our success in the Sustainability award (arguably one of the most important) was vindication for our efforts.
As quickly as it started, however, the final brochures were being handed out and it was the last day of the Solar Decathlon event. The evening found us in the main hall, awards being presented for the last few categories of the competition and of course to the general winners – Teams Virginia, Bavaria and Stuttgart. Seconds later, that long-awaited sangria was in full flow, and weeks of hard work were rewarded with the Decathlete party to end all Decathlete parties!
Deconstruction started slowly the next day, but taking the H.O.U.S.E apart was always going to be easier than throwing it together. By all accounts, the modules left happily last Wednesday and the remaining team members enjoyed their last few days in Madrid – though even that couldn’t help but be interrupted by rain!
I’m sure we’ll have some guest writers tell their story soon, and eventually the fitting reflection that the project deserves before this chapter of it ends, but for now I hope you all feel a little more updated – I’ll go back to my lingering coursework!
Tom
I know the pixels are just cooling on Tom’s last blog update but things are moving quickly now; the results are coming in thick and fast and, I kid you not, the rain clouds are moving in.
Yesterday in the blistering Madrid heat, five of the HOUSE’s finest assembled at the team tent for the daily award ceremony; the award being Sustainability. As usual, the awards began with an introduction by the judges, which explained how sustainability needed to be viable for the mass-market and be something people wanted to live in. Though this lifted our spirits, it has been a common observation by the judges, yet has frustratingly not translated into prizes.
Just to make things even more interesting we had a BBC film crew watching our every move, and as the judges made their commendations and our name did not come up I started to worry that their trip would have been in vain. As they moved to the main prizes, however, I started to wonder whether this time our message had made it across, and as they reached the second prize and began describing mass-marketability, closed loop food systems, affordability, and finally two stories, I realised that we were finally about to win something… and something important. Next thing I know, we’re lifting a trophy in front of cameras and the rest of the Decathletes!
Through the competition I had almost forgotten about sustainability; we had been sure of winning Market viability and hopeful of Architecture, but had forgotten that it was Sustainabillity that we were really here to win; after all, who needs to win Market Viability when we have a cheap house that everyone says they want to live in; who needs to win Architecture when the people that would live in it love the spaces. We were gradually becoming happy to just win the hearts of the public, but to be awarded this prize means a lot… and gives us another trophy to display alongside our Timber at Ecobuild Award!
Ben
Ladies and gentlemern,
Once again I must begin with one of my patented “Oh what a busy life I lead!” apologies. As I’m sure you can imagine, day-to-day activities at the Solar Decathlon Europe are fairly hectic, and me sitting down and typing merrily away on the laptop when there are visitors to be shown around the H.O.U.S.E would not be taken to kindly. Currently, however, it is siesta time in Madrid, and I’ll take this chance to update you all.
I don’t want to talk too much about the competition, actually, as if you’ve been following the results you’ll know they are not exactly in Nottingham’s favour. This is obviously sorely disappointing to everyone on the team, especially having received little merit in the categories the H.O.U.S.E was specficially designed to win – Industrialisation & Market Viability, for one; and Architecture too, which was stipulated as calling for cheapness, urban density and innovative use of exisiting materials in the design – all key aspects of our proposal. Also gutting was losing out in the Communications awards, which after our large internet and media presence we were confident of high marks in.
But enough comiseration. Even as our team climbs gradually up the leaderboard now that we have our daily water and electric tests fully underway, we can be confident that the H.O.U.S.E has been succesful in its own aims – that the public unanimously agree that our H.O.U.S.E is in fact a comfortable and welcoming home, which they would be both happy to live in and proud to promote its self-sustainable credentials. And that, for us, is what this project has been about – changing people’s perspectives on environmentally conscious housing.
We’ve had some other great times on site too. On Monday evening, we had the honour of hosting VIPs from both the embassy and the Saint Gobain team. With trays of champagne and canapés, and kind words from all parties including our own Mark Gillot, the student body of the team had a chance to relax a little and enjoy the congratulations for the phenomenal work they’d put in to be there.
Tuesday night saw myself and Lucia Milone host the first of our two meals in the H.O.U.S.E this week. Treating guests from teams Grenoble and Berlin to Sat’s delicious menu (hopefully done justice…) and some classic English company, we had the chance to meet these Decathletes in a non-competitive setting, which was refreshing. Conversations in broken English flowed easily over the solar-oven-cooked tomatoes and fantastic slow-cooked pork, and the H.O.U.S.E felt very much like a home as we all revelled in what we were part of.
But last night the real competition took place – the Solar Decathlon World Cup! Meeting on a dusty astroturf a little way from the Villa Solar, fresh from England’s victory in South Africa, a rough and ready team of Nottingham Decathletes assembled to face the challenge from Team Seville. We put up an extremely good fight in what was a very close match, but we couldn’t quite hold back the home side, who finished with a late goal to clinch it 4-3.
…and that’s about it! Tonight, Emily Costain and Chris Dalton serve dinner for more esteemed guests, and we continue to compete in the trials until Sunday. Wish us luck!
Tom
I’m currently sat under the pergola of the Nottingham H.O.U.S.E plot with the infamous Ben Hopkins, revelling in our storming performance during the first three jury interviews – Architecture, Industrialisation & Market Viability, and Communications – which finished but seconds ago!
I personally believe that of all the 10 competitions in which we are currently taking place, these are three in which we have a very strong chance. In terms of market viability, the H.O.U.S.E is second to none – despite the prestige of the event, the Solar Decathlon is but a chapter in the project’s story, the next being a move towards making the build a readily-available and mass-produced product, and the ultimate aim being to alter the minds of the British public regarding sustainable housing.
The architectural jury were blown away with Ben, Chris and Rachael’s brilliantly innovative use of existing – and affordable – materials and technologies in the design, creating the comfort of a home with the credentials of future architecture.
And without blowing anyone’s trumpet, I think that even without events like Ecobuild an dSat Bain’s Masterclass, the Communications team have done an absolutely stellar job of promoting the H.O.U.S.E in the run-up to the competition, and again the jury seemed extremely impressed with how we were telling this story on the Villa Solar.
So in short, a hugely encouraging start to the trials. On with the show!
Tom
A very quick one from the site in Madrid…
The last few days have been tough on everyone – both those in Decathlete Teams A and B, who have not stopped since arriving on the 5th, and Team C, who are doing their best to be fresh legs but are already finding the hours debilitating. The days we lost to flooding on site have cost us dearly, but the amount of effort that every member of the H.O.U.S.E team has put in to compensate is truly commendable.
The good news is this – the H.O.U.S.E is standing, the planters are planted, the build is hooked up to the power, I’ve seen the Passive Downdraft Evaporative Cooling system working with my own eyes, the rooms are fully furnished, and really the only jobs remaining involve dotting i’s, crossing t’s and putting final coats of paint on everything. After that, a quick sweep round and we open up the site to the public – scheduled for 4 o’clock today (local time), with tours at 6. Thus begins the competition!
We might even be able to sneak away and watch the England game after the visitors go home…
Tom
Less than 24 hours to go before myself and the other members of Decathlete Team C leave for Madrid, but it’s still too long! If you’ve been keeping abreast of the goings on on the Villa Solar through the brilliant Mr Blue, the H.O.U.S.E Facebook page, or through the blog and gallery on the Solar Decathlon page itself, then hopefully you’ll understand why I’m so keen to be out there!
From the sounds of things, the H.O.U.S.E itself assembled like an absolute dream – obviously our main concern, and a huge relief for all that we could clear such a major hurdle. No instead, the trickiest part of this initial construction period has of all things been the inclement weather! Despite packing bags full of shorts and tees to survive the expected sub-Saharan heat, the Decathletes have been hounded by the torrential rain on site.
Kindly, the Solar Decathlon organisers have offered both more time and expert help to the H.O.U.S.E team, to ensure the site – and the build itself – are safe and stable. And without jinxing anything, the weather looks to be on the turn for the better too… so fingers crossed all teams get to use their solar technologies to full potential once the competition starts in a few days!
For now, back to packing… see you on the other side!
Tom
Dear Readers,
It’s been almost a week since we packed, loaded and waved a teary farewell to the lorries carrying our precious modules, as well as the trucks full of planters, plants and other materials that make up the exhibition landscape of our site at the Solar Decathlon. What’s more, in less than a week we members of Decathlete Team C will join the H.O.U.S.E. - by then fully assembled – in Madrid for the public stage of the competition.
We haven’t been slacking this past week, though - the dust clouds left in the wake of the H.O.U.S.E. left all members of the team remaining in Nottingham with many tasks to undertake, including industrial-level clean-ups and preparations for exhibitions in the uni’s Department of the Built Environment itself. The build may have departed our shores, but this is not quite over yet.
The hardest work, of course, has been for Decathlete Teams A and B, who arrived on the Villa Solar site on Saturday and have been in full construction mode ever since. Having levelled the site, the first trucks arrived on Monday with the aforementioned landscaping paraphernalia, and the modules themselves arrived yesterday – their triumphant entrance dampened only slightly by the torrential rain it seems the whole of Europe is experiencing right now.
The Facebook site is being regularly updated with pictures straight from the event, so direct yourself there for the latest shots. Also present on-site is Mr Blue, keeping us abreast of the goings-on through his tweets, and his family Ms Green and Kid Orange will be travelling out with Team C next week, so there’s no need to feel out of the loop.
For now, back to finalising our tour plan for presenting the H.O.U.S.E. in the competition!
Tom
All
Days have dissolved into vital hours as we approach the last moments of the Nottingham-based stage of this project. Whilst we’re nowhere near the mad rush we were before we shipped out to ECOBuild, all hands are on deck and the words “priority” and “essential” are becoming somewhat overused.
What I find most funny is the way in which these priorities have changed almost week on week. No longer are we concerned with “trivial” things like insulation, or the Rigidur boards of the walls that took up so much of our time mere weeks ago. Instead we find ourselves focussed now on the details of the design – the architraves and skirting, the cover strips on the walls and ceilings, and the connections between the modules.
But of course, it goes without saying that without those core components of wood and Isover products, we would not have a structure to detail. It says a lot that without thinking, we now consider the H.O.U.S.E. as a solid entity with roofs and walls – rather than the timber cassettes which arrived in KMC so long ago.
And it is this solid entity that we are now preparing for travel. All non-structural work has been called to a halt as we ready to wrap the modules, following the very lunch break we Decathletes are taking now on site, and we await the arrival of the flatbed lorries and 50-tonne crane tomorrow morning!
Peace out.
Tom
Dearest Followers,
So if you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know that Friday was our presentation with the team from Restaurant Sat Bains – namely Sat and head chef John Freeman. Again, Mark Gillot gave a short history of the site, the construction and everything, welcoming our VIP guests to the event – all generous supporters of the project who were keen to learn more. Soon after, he handed the reins to Sat Bains himself, and the day began in earnest.
Sat was a complete natural in front of the plethora of cameras and lights and other “showbiz” paraphernalia – some might say a good choice for a new breed of TV chef! His focus, however, was totally on the food, and with John he quickly prepared the four dishes that will make up the meal we host during the competition in Madrid.
Myself and Emily Costain, on the other hand, were like the Richard and Judy of the proceedings – sat across the dining table fixed into Module 4, asking questions and tasting the delicious food! We tried to take in what we could from the masters at work, but the aim was to give Sat the right opportunities to talk through the key aspects of the meal – the ingredients being grown in the H.O.U.S.E.’s own garden, the lack of any intensive heating processes in favour of solar-powered or slow cooking, and the strong representation of classic English flavours on each plate.
After the four courses had got tastebuds tingling, there was a chance to enjoy a buffet lunch and for our guests to meet each other, to meet Sat, and to meet us – the H.O.U.S.E. student team. I personally was far too busy in interview after interview – but that’s just the glamorous life I lead now!
But in all seriousness, a lot of work went into preparing for the day huge gratitude needs to be expressed for the tireless construction team, who arranged Modules 1, 2 and 4 in the cavernous Studio 7 once again, and dotted every i so we could feel like we were in a finished home. Also, to every member of the H.O.U.S.E. team who was there to hang posters (again!) or brush down stairways or offer the bowl of Sat’s pea and mint sorbet around for tasting. And a special little extra thanks goes to Lindsay Brooke (MC for the day), and to Lucia Milone and Chris Dalton, who couldn’t be there on the day but will be cooking with us in Madrid, and put their fair share of work in.
If you want to look out for media coverage of the day, the places to be looking are:
BBC Inside Out
Central TV news
BBC Radio Nottingham
Nottingham Evening Post
and in the future, for articles in:
Nottingham City Life
Nottingham Journal
Wavelength – the Science City newsletter.
But we’ll let you know more specifically of pieces we find and enjoy. Thanks for reading!
Tom