A team of undergraduate and graduate students led by Michael Ramage, University Lecturer in the Department of Architecture, and Dr Allan McRobie, Reader in the Department of Engineering, has started the countdown to unveiling a solar-powered home in Madrid in 2010.

Cambridge is one of 20 teams chosen to compete in this international competition, winning €100,000 towards the project from the sponsors, the Spanish government. Although this is the first competition of its kind in Europe, it builds on almost a decade of competitions in the US sponsored by the US Department of Energy.

The team’s innovative proposal is the Integrated Design for Engineered Architecture (IDEA) Home – a modular system that can adapt to changing needs and climates. The prefabricated design can be assembled in different permutations and number, horizontally and vertically, giving maximum versatility. Modularity permeates the entire design, requiring the team to develop modular systems of energy production and consumption.

The project is being supported by ongoing research in the Departments of Architecture and Engineering, and will use innovative approaches developed across the University, such as photovoltaic cells, natural ventilation, energy-efficient design and computer-based monitoring. ‘The truly excellent designs are those that combine cutting-edge technology with first-rate architecture,’ explained Michael Ramage. ‘Our ambition is to create a home with outstanding performance on energy efficiency, architectural and engineering design, sustainability and marketability.’

In June 2010, the team will take the IDEA Home to Madrid, where it will be judged by international experts and visited by tens of thousands of visitors. ‘This is a remarkable opportunity to combine teaching with hands-on learning, basic research with applied practice, and novel insight with experience,’ said Dr McRobie. ‘Following the competition we will set up the home in Cambridge to monitor its performance over three years so that it can continue to serve educational and research purposes.’