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The University of Ulster, with help from an Irish rock star,
is giving students the chance to design the home of the future
- a self-sustainable house made entirely of sustainable materials.
With the support of Invest
NI and Biotecture
Ireland Ltd, a new green development association -
called the ‘Biotecture Network’ - is giving students
of the Masters of Architecture course the opportunity to submit
design briefs and schematics of their ideas for a carbon-zero,
self-sustaining house.
The modern homes will be designed to eliminate the owners’
dependence on fossil fuels and will meet the British government’s
Code for Sustainable Homes.
Biotecture Ireland's Business Development Director is Mark
Hamilton, guitarist and vocalist with rock band Ash. He said
- "The project is all about building a self-sustainable house
that would work well in a European environment. There are
already examples of 'Earthships' in New Mexico and
what we are looking for is for the students to design something
that would sell in a European market, with European design
and cultural aesthetics. We want the students to be innovative
and create."
The winners of the competition will win £1,000 and a pair
of VIP tickets to the 2012 Carling Weekend: Reading Festival.
Professor Neil Hewitt, Director of the Centre for Sustainable
Technologies at Ulster, said - “The chance for our students
to develop these types of homes shows the innovation in the
University of Ulster in sustainable expertise. In a time of
heightened environmental awareness, our students will show
leadership in sustainable development by designing innovative
homes.
“There is a greater focus now on carbon reduction strategies
and energy efficiency and this competition will hopefully
highlight these issues, as well as providing working blue-prints
for self-sustaining properties of the future.”
In designing the properties, students will have to fulfill
six key design principles. The design must include -
- renewable energy micro-generation - including solar, wind
geothermal and energy-efficiency technologies;
- passive solar design with advanced, energy-efficient construction
techniques;
- the use of local, natural and recycled building materials;
- water harvesting - to collect rainwater to re-use in the
home and garden;
- contained sewage treatment - and
- food production.
Types of housing built in this manner have shown how recycled
materials can be used for building - with support walls being
made from recycled tyres, internal walls made from an adobe
mix and roof insulation made from recycled clothes.
The long-term possibility of the joint University of Ulster
and Biotecture Ireland project is to build a self-sustainable
building at Ulster's Jordanstown campus.
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