SASBE 2009 Student Competition

Three students, an Architect Julia Hidalgo Casanueva of Costa Rica, an Environmentalist Chris-Marije Westerink of the Netherlands, and myself will spend the next 8 weeks preparing an entry into the SASBE2009 Student Compition hosted by the 3rd CIB International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environments.

The challenge is quite broad:

Propose a concept for a living area or single home that produces sustainable energy that equals out energy consumption. This includes energy for mobility, operation of buildings, product and food production, etcetera. We would like you to address the following topics:
* Concept of an energy-producing urban environment or solitary house and all its features
* A vision on the different energy sources
* Energy supply, demand, exchange and storage in time and space
* Integration of the latest available technology and ideas on sustainability
* The scale of being self-supporting
The setting is an urban environment with different means of transport (private and public). You may chose to combine urban functions or make a proposal for a mono-functional setting.

We are choosing to work at the 'living area' scale, perhaps about one square kilometer. It will be a very exciting time of research and creativity!

Here is some inspiration from across the blogosphere:

Eco•Laboratory in Seattle


Milano Santa Monica


Gwanggyo Green Power Center


Energy Producing Greenhouse