The developer of insulation solutions to protect both the built and natural environment has secured support from Professor Wolfgang Feist, founder of the Passivhaus concept and the Passivhaus Institute in Germany, for the second year running.
Professor Feist will be joined by Green Building Store director Bill Butcher, who developed ‘Denby Dale’, one of the UK’s first Passivhaus developments, Nick Grant, technical director of the Passivhaus Trust, and Gabriel Golumbeanu, international building concept developer for Saint-Gobain Isover, all of whom were also judges at last year’s UK final.
Other industry experts on the panel include Steff Bell from the Scottish Passive House Centre, Professor Julian Marsh, partner at Marsh:Grochowski LLP Architects and Nick Ebbs, director of Igloo Regeneration. Nick is also chief executive of regeneration specialist Blueprint, which is playing a key part in the real-life development of Nottingham’s Trent Basin site on which students must base their designs.
This year, entrants have been asked to create a sustainable community living plan for approximately 12 to 15 families. Competing in teams of up to three members, students are asked to produce a design that takes into account social and economic aspects, as well as building considerations.
The architecture of the development, which can also include urban space solutions for the immediate vicinity, must be sympathetic to the local surroundings and should also help breathe life into the existing neighbourhood.
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Shortlisted UK entries will be announced following the initial stage of judging, which takes place in February. The chosen teams will be invited to showcase their designs on stand N230 at Ecobuild, which takes place at ExCeL from 20 - 22 March 2012.
The second stage of judging takes place at Ecobuild, with the winners announced in a live final on 21 March 2012. The three winning teams will receive cash prizes of up to £1,000 and will go on to compete in the seventh international final, which takes place from 22 – 25 May in Bratislava, Slovakia, featuring a top prize of €1,500.
Helen Tunnicliffe, marketing manager for Saint-Gobain Isover, comments: “We’re really pleased to have such a line-up of experts on our judging panel and are delighted that Professor Feist, Bill Butcher, Nick Grant and Gabriel Golumbeanu have renewed their commitment to the competition following their involvement last year.
“We’ve had an excellent response to the competition, with over 30 teams of up to 3 registered to take part. Students have until the end of January to submit their entries, and we look forward to revealing the shortlist in February.”
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