What will our lifestyles be like in the future? An international group of students at Chiba University plan to explore the possibilities with their proposal for a next-generation solar house, a futuristic mix of new technology and traditional ways of life in Japan.
Around 50 students at the national university are bracing themselves for Solar Decathlon Europe, a biennial international student competition, for which entrants present designs for solar-powered, eco-friendly houses. Dubbed the "Solar Olympics," this year the competition will be held in Madrid, in September.
The Chiba University team, which has been chosen as one of the 20 finalists, includes international and Japanese students from multidisciplinary fields, such as architecture, medicine and horticulture. It's the first — and only — group from Japan to participate in the event, which is organized by several organizations including the Spanish Ministry of Housing and the U.S. Department of Energy.