MED in Italy: Italian efficiency at the architecture Olympics

The Italian Eco-Home will be competing with 19 other 1:1 scale prototypes from all over the world, created by university teams, in a battle to decide the most efficient and innovative

(Rinnovabili.it) – A few days ago saw the start of the second edition in Madrid of the most eagerly awaited international competition in the world of zero-emission architecture: the Solar Decathlon Europe 2012. Among those taking part this year will be a 100% Italian project, “MED in Italy”, devised by Roma Tre University in collaboration with La Sapienza and created in Bolzano. The Italian Eco-Home is based on the building traditions of the south of the Mediterranean, where protection from the summer heat is at least as important as protection from the cold, thus creating the need for a casing that can be closed in on itself during the day but opened at night. Built with a lightweight bearing structure, the distinctive characteristic of MED in Italy is its external casing that can be pulled up, filled exclusively with natural local materials able both to ensure perfect insulation and to blend in with the surrounding landscape. LED lights, bright materials, internal garden, renewable energy and innovative technology make MED in Italy an unprecedented example of efficiency.