The European Solar Decathlon Kicks Off Today – Exclusive Photos!

Ready for another exciting competition in the world of prefab solar houses? Today the <a href="http://www.sdeurope.org/" target="_blank">2010 Solar Decathlon Europe</a> kicked off in Madrid, Spain, marking the first time the competition has been hosted in Europe! Seventeen teams from around the globe are battling it out in the center of the city to see who has the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2009/10/16/germany-wins-the-2009-solar-decathlon/" target="_blank">most efficient solar powered and eco-friendly house</a>. Just like the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/index.php?s=solar+decathlon">competition in Washington DC</a>, the teams will be graded on their ability to minimize their energy use, innovative architecture and engineering, sustainability, and more. Read on for our exclusive photos and a first look at the most exciting houses in this year's competition! <p> Above, the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/01/29/curvaceous-solar-fablab-house-set-to-rock-european-solar-decathlon/" target="_blank">Fablab House</a> from the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia is on their home turf for this competition and one of it's most striking differences from the other houses is its departure from rectangular home. Solar panels completely cover the curvaceous roof and is built off the ground for a boost of natural ventilation.

Virginia Tech competed in the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/index.php?s=solar+decathlon">Decathlon in Washington DC</a> last fall and also had a chance to exhibit their prefab home in Times Square this year. With a lot of experience under their belt the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2009/10/23/sun-powered-lumenhaus-has-a-shifting-solar-facade/" target="_blank">Lumenhaus</a>, with high tech solar shading and smart systems, should be a formidable competitor.

The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/06/07/the-armadillo-box-for-europes-solar-decathlon/" target="_blank">Armadillo Box</a> from France was inspired by the hard-shelled little creature who is known to use little energy and stay cool even in hot climates. Inside the home, a centralized inner core houses the mechanical systems, the structure of the home is built from inexpensive local materials and then a screen encases the whole system to keep it cool and shaded from the sun.

The team from the University of Florida takes inspiration from traditional Floridian vernacular with their <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/06/18/university-of-floridas-solar-decathlon-entry-draws-from-traditional-vernacular/" target="_blank">Re:FOCUS/a&gt; house based on the Cracker House. Natural ventilation and solar panels mounted on the roof and south facade makes this house energy efficient and appropriate for its region.

Team Finland brings a high tech house to Madrid designed for the colder and darker Scandinavian climate and is almost completely built out of locally sourced timber. The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/06/10/finland-unveils-ultra-efficient-energy-positive-solar-decathlon-house/" target="_blank">Luukku House</a> has a large enough solar system to be net zero in Finland, so expect it to rock down in Madrid.

Germany's <a href="http://www.sdeurope.uni-wuppertal.de/index.php?id=102&amp;lang=en">Team Wuppertal</a> built their house with the aim of bulding a functional and open home where the exterior and interior space was connected through simple geometric shapes creating a sustainable and adaptable system.

Tonji University took a decidedly unique route with their <a href="http://www.tongji.edu.cn/english/EventNews/newslist.asp?Page=3">Bambu House</a>, made of, you guessed it, bamboo!

The European Solar Decathlon just kicked off today!

The entry of the Solar Decathlon.

The UK brings a great home to the competitions with <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/06/15/univerisity-of-nottingham-unveils-sleek-solar-powered-h-o-u-s-e/" target="_blank">H.O.U.S.E</a>, which stands for “House Optimizing the Use of Solar Energy” and is a two story house with a small footprint and a courtyard and garden space. The solar powered house will also be able to provide enough food grown in its garden for a gourmet dinner for all the teams planned by celebrity chefs.

The Universitat Politecnica de Cataluna unveiled the LOW-3, a stunning bioclimatic solar house. The objective of the LOW3 energetically self-sufficient solar house goes beyond its energy-independent operation. Based on a comprehensive life cycle analysis of materials and components, an optimization of its construction process and the concept of adaptability according to use (expansion, technological upgrading, reuse, and recycle), the home creates a new concept for the future of sustainable housing.

The Napevomo house features a cylindrical-parabolic concentrator that directs solar flux so that it can be absorbed by high-efficiency solar cells.

Tianjin University's Sunflower House harnesses the sun's rays to provide for all of its energy needs. The home is able to maintain a constant temperature and constant humidity through the exclusive use of this renewable resource.

The SMLHOUSE by <a href="http://www.uch.ceu.es/principal/inicio.asp?menusuperior=">Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera Valencia</a>'s team featured a minimalistic, almost Asian-feeling skin of PV cells.

The Living Equia house by Fachochschule fur Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin features an innovative array of "light axes" that illuminate the interior with shifting beams of light as the sun moves through the sky.

Universidad de Valladolid's house features a rounded exterior and a well-lit, multi-functional and transformable interior.