Main goals and outcomes

To encourage building designers to consider solar architecture requires two basic approaches — firstly there needs to be an informative focus resulting in greater awareness on the need for sustainable building and energy use (addressing climate change and the role of sustainable energy in reducing harmful emissions in the built environment), and secondly providing access to specific information and tools that can assist the design of solar buildings.

Goals

The SAMSA 2002 had three primary goals, addressing short to long-term aspects:

(i) To provide a regional training opportunity for Mediterranean architects and engineers, presenting the most advanced conceptual approaches, tools and software to design highly energy efficient solar buildings in the Mediterranean region;

(ii) To promote the networking of European building professionals, stimulating an interest, growth and innovation in Mediterranean solararchitecture;

(iii) To support European market expansion in the area of RETs and materials for solar buildings, by encouraging contact between companies and their potential product users, making known the wide range of materials and technologies available on the market.

The training event addressed several other underlying aspects as well, namely providing recognition to experts in this field and to encourage an interest in further advances in materials and approaches through research and development (R&D). The encouraging results from R&D and evaluating the implementation of different facets of solar architecture, EE and RETs assists in expanding the available data, which in turn needs to be made available to the building designers who can improve their results.

This process is also supported by the European Commission, which has financially supported the SAMSA 2002 through the ALTENER Programme, as part of the LEARNET — SAMSA project. This support indicates that the EC recognises the importance of capacity building, increasing know-how and sharing expertise in the field of sustainable building. This Academy was also used to provide information on European legislation and directives relevant to the built environment, of which many professionals are not yet aware (such as the EC Directive on the energy performance of buildings).

Contents

During the SAMSA 2002, specific important elements of the design process were focused on, in particular:

• Energy saving and efficiency measures to reduce energy demand;

• Integration of renewable energy technologies (RETS) in the building envelope;

• The role of the built environment in the building energy behaviour;

• Building cooling and heating requirements (in Mediterranean climate they play an equally important role);

• Opacity and transparency requirements;

• Natural ventilation;

• Seasonal shading;

• Daylighting control (to assure internal visual comfort);

• Thermal inertia capacity

These key factors were considered, particularly during the SAMSA 2002 practical workshop, where participants worked on interesting renovation designs. The SAmSa 2002 45 participants mainly came from the Mediterranean region, but there was also some interest from Southern Africa, where a similar climate prevails (Image 1). Working under the supervision of experienced mentors, they not only learned to consider the application of solar architecture strategies and principles carefully, but also to appreciate the differences in approach from people of other disciplines. The workshop helped to reinforce the conclusion that architects, engineers and energy consultants in particular can contribute valuable input in a design group to create a truly sustainable building.

Networking

The excellent interactive working relationship that developed among the lecturers and participants during the event, has supported the establishment of a regional network that will assist the exchange of information on Mediterranean solar architecture design. Positive feedback was received in this regard, and almost all the participants contacted indicated that they are using solar architecture strategies and RETs in their building designs.

The ISES network also aims to build on such networking of professionals by encouraging the concept of special interest groups and promoting the ‘Solar Cities’ concept among cities and towns. In this area the European Solar Cities initiative (ESCi) was launched, presenting a forum where experts and professionals of different disciplines can contribute to and learn about sustainable energy use in urban areas (www. eu-solarcities. org).