THE HOUSE THAT PRODUCES MORE ENERGY THAN IT CONSUMES

The unique building, located in the courtyard of the University of Installation Engineering in Bucharest, was built by a few dozens of students in more than two years. In the house of glass and metal, the costs for light, water and heating are zero. Furthermore, the house produces more energy than it consumes, being ensured by the 22 photovoltaic panels and two solar panels that produce hot water.

The project, thought a few years ago, has now caught shape, and the solar home looks like a real home: the ground floor and upstairs, bedrooms, a spacious living room, bathroom and kitchen. Moreover, the team of students who worked on the construction wanted to merge materials with nature. Thus, in the middle of the smart home is also a greenhouse with dozens of plants. EFdeN, as the students called it, is considered one of the most efficient house in terms of energy in Romania. It has 190 square meters and total costs were approximately 300,000 euros. At the project participated more than 200 students and about 20 teachers. The works lasted more than two years, given that seven months of this period when students waited to be given approval. “EFdeN is an educational project that changes mentality, through the collective desire to succeed and evolve at every step. Although, apparently, everything has produced an environmentally friendly house, basically we are a handful of people with the same ideals that want to change people’s attitudes about environment”, said Daniel Butucel, the students team leader.

IT PRODUCES ENERGY AND VENTILATES AUTOMATICALLY

In EFdeN house bills never come for light, water and heating, and it produces more energy than it consumes. “We have an anual surplus of 2,500 kWh. It’s an additional energy that we can inject into the network”, explains Mihai Toader-Pasti, project manager. Electricity in the house is produced by photovoltaic panels on the roof, heating and cooling are made through water tubes mounted in walls and water supply is made from a well. The house has an automatic ventilation system. Specifically, when the room needs fresh air, no window should be open. “The air comes directly from the greenhouse located within the house when the CO2 content in rooms is too high. When it’s winter and you have to open the window to ventilate, you also low the room temperature. Then you better take air direct from the greenhouse. We managed to ensure all parameters of interior comfort, from temperature and humidity to level of oxygen, CO2, natural and artificial lighting”, explains Claudiu Butacu, EFdeN team member. The combination of home and nature is present including in the bathroom, where a lichen absorbs humidity from the air. Students have another idea to put it into practice. They want to make a system with sensors that detect when the windows of the house are forgotten open and thus to close automatically. “If you fogot the window open, here is a sensor that senses and gives the command. Then the system sends you a message. You can close it from the phone or it closes automatically after half an hour. It’s a magnetic contact that can be placed on any window”, says Claudiu Butacu.

THE METAL HOUSE, SAFE ALSO IN CASE OF EARTHQUAKE

Both the structure of the house and furniture are made of metal. They are easy to make, but also to assemble or disassemble. However, this means that it is safe in case of earthquake or fire, say those who designed it. “Safety is one of the most important aspects of a house and EFdeN was designed to withstand earthquakes and fire. Moreover, the prototype resisted to five assembly and disassembly until now”, explain the project representatives.

THEY WANT IT TO BE THE FIRST FULLY CERTIFIED HOUSE IN EUROPE

The main objective of the students who designed it is the Living Building Challenge certification. If obtained, EFdeN will be the first house fully certified in Europe. Moreover, the young people want to arrange in the future also the space around the building. In front of the house, they plan to create a green space where all students have access and to be equipped with furniture and wireless internet. “Another objective is to realize the first HUB campus, an outdoor space with free internet access and electricity from solar power, dedicated to young people and students who want to study, start a business or to increase their ideas”, say the participants to project. The house functions also as the first Research Centre of Comfort Conditions in Romania and, moreover, it is open to the public. It can be visited on Thursdays between 6.00 PM and 8.00 PM and Sunday between 12.00 PM and 16.00 PM.