Rhone-Alpes from France has won the 2012 Solar Decathlon Europe with its entry, Canopea house.
The Solar Decathlon challenges university teams to design, build and operate solar-powered houses that are cost effective, energy efficient and consumer friendly.
Canopea house has a 10,700 kilowatt photovoltaic paneled roof, creating enough energy to power the house and an electric car. The house is engineered to be stacked vertically into ‘nanotowers’, providing high density housing.
‘Nanotowers’ house a residence on each floor, and attempt to duplicate the space of a detached house. The roof of a ‘nanotower’ has a shared laundry, summer kitchen, storage space and community garden.
