TU/e students open self-designed house that promotes sustainable lifestyle
People can book a tour of 'The house of the future' until the end of November.
Student team VIRTUe has festively opened its self-sufficient and sustainable house on the TU/e campus (next to the Auditorium) to the public. The house of the future is part of Ripple, the sustainable living concept that playfully encourages people to live and work more sustainably. Interested parties can schedule a tour until the end of November. There is also the possibility to visit the house during Glow and Dutch Design Week. After November, the house will be dismantled and transported to Wuppertal where VIRTUe hopes to score high during the international design competition Solar Decathlon Europe.
The wooden structure demonstrates VIRTUe's vision of the future when it comes to living. The building is completely self-sufficient and has a number of new and clever gadgets that enable the residents to live sustainably. Eighty percent of the materials are or can be reused later. The house consists of a student room, a starter's flat, and a communal area. The structure can be relatively easily installed on existing buildings, so that it can also be part of the solution for the housing shortage in urban areas.
Technology and people come together
For the Solar Decathlon competition in Wuppertal, Germany, the team designed a house that is not only sustainable, but also promotes communal sustainable living.
For example, coloured solar panels are incorporated into the façade. This not only looks attractive, but also provides more space on the roof, for example for social activities. A smart system called EQUI can help users improve their sustainable lifestyle. EQUI ensures that electricity consumption is distributed as economically as possible throughout the day. The system tells the user the best time to turn on the washing machine or run the dishwasher.
In addition, the team is currently developing a coaching app called RECAPP. RECAPP is a social platform that allows residents to earn digital coins, for example by achieving monthly sustainability goals. Think of taking less showers and eating more sustainably. Any digital money that is earned can then be spent in a digital world similar to the digital worlds portrayed in computer games such as The Sims.
The concept can also be compared to running apps such as Strava. By constantly achieving new running goals or seeing the lap times of friends and family, you are encouraged to keep improving yourself. "We want to stimulate people in a playful and positive way to start living more sustainably," says Willem Arts of VIRTUe.
Solar Decathlon
The house will be open to the public until the end of November, after which the team will focus on extensive testing of the systems, both technical and social. At the Solar Decathlon Europe in June 2022, the students will compete against 18 student teams from around the world. After the competition, the house will go to a new destination and will be the starting point for the construction of an eco-village in the region.
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