Saint-Gobain and the Nottingham H.O.U.S.E have been shortlisted in the ‘Best Low or Zero Carbon Initiative’ category in Housebuilder Magazine’s Housebuilder Awards 2010. Winners will be announced on Thursday 28th October at the Millennium London Mayfair Hotel. Watch this space!

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The Nottingham H.O.U.S.E (Home Optimising the Use of Solar Energy) has ranked high for its environmental credentials in the final of the first international Solar Decathlon Europe Competition, in Madrid, coming a close second in the sustainability category. Seventeen teams from seven countries and three continents participated in the contest to design and build a practical, self-sufficient and comfortable solar powered home.

Students from the University of Nottingham’s Department of the Built Environment (DBE) were awarded 115 out of a possible 120 points in the category, which evaluates the teams’ skill and environmental sensitivity for designing and constructing a house with a very low negative impact during its life cycle. The H.O.U.S.E is the UK’s only entry into the contest and has been constructed almost entirely of materials supplied by Saint-Gobain.

Following their arrival on site earlier this month, students faced a series of setbacks which they worked together to overcome, ensuring that the H.O.U.S.E was ready to open to the public on 18 June. Torrential rain hit the build site on the banks of the Manzanares river, causing it to flood, and the team lost valuable time as they worked day and night to drain the water from their plot.

As a result of their efforts to address damage to the H.O.U.S.E, caused by the flooding, students were unable to connect the water, solar thermal and electric systems until after the start of the competition, missing out on points from the daily tasks, such as use of the washing machine to simulate requirements in a family home. All participating teams were asked to complete these tasks, with scores awarded on a cumulative daily basis.

Dr Mark Gillott, the project leader from the Department of the Built Environment said: “The commitment and dedication of the team has been incredible. Students have shown real grit and determination to overcome the challenges caused by the flooding and succeeded against the odds to ensure that the H.O.U.S.E opened to the public on the first day of the competition.”