Austrian students from Vienna University of Technology won top honors at the U S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Solar Decathlon, besting 18 other entries from around the world for “designing, building, and operating the most cost-effective, energy-efficient and attractive solar-powered house.” The modular wooden frame home, Austria’s first ever entry in the competition, is totally solar-powered and made to be quickly assembled as well as easily dis-assembled. The service core houses the bathroom, bedroom and all the technical equipment for the house while textile shades open and close up areas for gathering. As archdaily.com reports, a floor system regulates heating, cooling and fresh air to create a comfortable indoor environment, while a shower tray recovers thermal energy from drain water through a heat exchanger, reducing net energy consumption in the modular home. As MHProNews has learned, University of Nevada at Las Vegas took second place, followed by Czech Technical University in third.

((Photo credit: Jason Flakes/U. S. Dept. of Energy Solar Decathlon)