Second year Construction Systems Course explores LOW3

Solar thermal collectors, solar PV installations in buildings, design for disassembly, modular prefabricated housing, light-weight greenhouse technologies, circularity of building materials, and many other topics are nice to learn in theory, but why, when we can just walk down the campus and visit a prototype building, experience, explore and touch its components and materials, and start a discussion and reflection process right in the place?

Second year class of Construction Systems II course had the opportunity to do so, and I think it was a fruitful way to learn about construction techniques, solar technologies and sustainable solutions for buildings in general.

 

 

 

GREEN OFFICE ETSAV initiative starts its third year!

25 new students, half ETSAV, half Erasmus, took over LOW3 for continuing another semester with our GREEN OFFICE activities at ETSAV.

In the third edition 2023/24, the students are currently carrying out a reform of the interior spaces of the Living Lab LOW3, for use as an exhibition space for reclaimed and recycled materials from construction and the design and construction of a pergola with recycled materials for the terrace of the LOW3 solar house on Campus, with the aim of being able to use the space as an activity space for the entire ETSAV community during the warm months. In addition, the garden is reactivated community of the Campus and optimizes the collection and reuse of rainwater for irrigation and continues with the GoGreenETSAV dissemination projects and the In the Cube podcast.

25 nous estudiants, meitat ETSAV, meitat Erasmus, es van fer càrrec del LOW3 per continuar un semestre més amb les nostres activitats GREEN OFFICE a l'ETSAV.

A la tercera edició 2023/24, els estudiants actualment duen a terme una reforma dels espais interiors del Living Lab LOW3, per al seu ús com a espai d'exposició de materials recuperats i reciclats de la construcció i el disseny i la construcció d'una pèrgola amb materials reciclats per la terrassa de la casa solar LOW3 al Campus, amb la finalitat de poder fer servir l'espai com a espai d'activitats per a tota la comunitat ETSAV durant els mesos càlids. A més, es reactiva l'hort

comunitari del Campus i s'optimitza la recollida i reutilització d'aigües pluvials per al seu reg i se segueix amb els projectes de difusió GoGreenETSAV i el podcast In the Cube.

 

 

 

RENE - Innovation and Co-creation Seminar 2023 ETSAV

A new edition of our Innovation and Co-creation Seminar has been held 3-7 of July for the InnoEnergy MSc Program "Renewable Energies"(RENE) with around 45 students from 12 different countries working on a “Holistic Sustainability Approach for Innovations. 

Under the topics “Housing, Energy and Lifestyle” students got known to the innovative concepts of UPC's nearly zero energy buildings, exploring and analysing the technological concepts of the LOW3 prototype house in the fields of solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, HVAC, bioclimatic building management and energy monitoring systems, energy storage and circularity. 

Besides, visits to the low-energy student residence of the campus and to the Savasco prototype building which explores low-impact building materials based on agricultural waste products, enriched the discussions on new approaches to sustainable buildings and cities. Students tested the Carbon Coaching App SUSLA (www.susla.app) and calculated their own lifestyle carbon footprint. 

After 10 years of collaboration with the MSc Program RENE of KIC InnoEnergy students feedback confirms once again that the LOW3 Living Lab offers a valuable contribution to engineer students’ education through its holistic approach to sustainability, bringing together in one place the important topics of Housing, Energy and Lifestyle.

LOW3-WISER: FINAL EVENT

WISER prototypes and the related exhibition about Construction and Demolition Waste at LOW3 have been presented by students to their fellows within a festive and dynamic event at the ETSAV terrace and the LOW3 Living Lab facilities. A Kahoot quiz about important figures regarding embodied carbon and the decarbonization challenge in general spread the word and some knowledge about the changes we need to make in the building sector and as society as a whole. 

Ice-cream, beer and music contributed to combine the social with the disciplinary side of the event and LOW3 showed once more to be a great space for value discussions, learning by doing and a holistic approach to sustainability. 

Congratulations to the LOW3 students of this semester!

LOW3-WISER: Prototype construction!

We now enter the final phase of LOW3-Wiser: Prototype construction of our WiSER proposals (Waste-based Intelligent Solar-control-devices for Envelope Refurbishment). Students are using the CRITT Building Workshop at ETSAV and the LOW3 Living Lab spaces for construction of 1:1 samples of their designs. These will then be exposed and tested at the LOW3 south façade for understanding their performance under real conditions of building integration. A great way of a learning by building approach on construction, performance and materiality of building envelopes and solar control devices!

LOW3-WISER: Second Design Review

At the ETSAV school of Architecture took place the second WISER Design Review with experts and the presentation of 6 proposal (3 of each Architecture School). First 1:1 mock-ups have been presented, showing the materiality of some solutions. Other proposals have been presented through 1:10 models, demonstrating the operability of the solution. After this second review, 1:1 prototypes will be constructed in both courses for evaluation of proposals under real conditions. 

Additionally, ETSAB students could visit the LOW3 Living Lab at the ETSAV campus and the exposition of construction and demolition waste materials prepared by our students. Let’s convert so-called waste into a resource! Starting to understand what circular economy in the building sector means and needs!

LOW3-WISER: Learning about waste!

The LOW3 Living Lab is a place for experimenting, exploring and constructing, but also for value discussion about sustainable construction, housing, energy and lifestyle. Discussion rounds on our sunny south terrace allow for conversation about the important topics like renewable energy transition, decarbonization, circular economy and climate change. On the other side our campus allows exploring the diversity of waste, this semesters topic, getting together a whole collection of waste materials related to buildings, getting inspiration for our projects.

LOW3-WISER: First Design Review

At the ETSAB school of Architecture took place the first WISER Design Review with a selected panel of experts and the presentation of 12 proposal (6 of each Architecture School). Effectivity of the proposed envelope solutions regarding solar protection, light quality and operability, but also important aspects like structural safety, fire protection, maintenance and lifecycle have been evaluated, presenting and sharing among students and researchers the different conceptual ideas developed in both courses: Material and Project (Prof. Oriol Pons, ETSAB) and LOW3: Living Zero (Prof. Torsten Masseck, ETSAV). Based on the received critics, proposals will be further developed in the upcoming weeks.

LOW3-WISER: Designing with waste

First conceptual presentations of Waste-based Intelligent Solar-control-devices by students: designs based on construction and demolition waste but also other waste materials: PVC tubes, plastic bottles, cables, reclaimed wood, arids, fisher nets. What can be reused? What can be recycled? How can we re-introduce waste materials into buildings, or even better, design out waste in the whole process of construction, use, refurbishment and dismantling of buildings? Decisive questions for a decarbonized future, respecting the biospherical limits of our planet! The LOW3 Living Lab allows discussing and working on these topics in a relaxed atmosphere of creativity and co-creation.

LOW3: LIVING ZERO! course started with 24 students - fully booked!

First class of LOW3 2023 Q2: Introduction into our MOOC learning platform, understanding the participatory Living Lab dynamics and exploring LOW3, getting known to our Green Building Council Spain (GBCe) – University collaboration about decarbonization and getting introduced to the WISER research project, which will be the main focus of this semester. 

Many things to tackle, but diversity and a holistic approach to sustainability is part of the game at the LOW3 Living Lab, so let’s start!