The Call for Teams was published on July 14, 2017. Any queries about the Call should be sent to: questions@solardecathlon.eu. They will be answered within one week and published on this page as well as in the pdf at the end of the page.
Admissions for the Solar Decathlon Europe 2019 Call for Teams are officially closed. Find the official announcement here: https://solardecathlon.eu/sde19_-teams-are-set/
Due to the extension of the sde19 Call for Teams application deadline, questions were answered up until 17:00 CET, Friday, November 10, 2017.
NOTE: Questions about the SDE19 Rules are only for guidance. As was stated in the SDE19 Call for Teams, the SDE19 Rules V 1.0 are provided for reference only. An update to the rules (V 2.0) will be published with the team selection.
Please read the criteria for team selection in the SDE19 Call for Teams.
Addendum 1
Questions 40 & 41 _ Please note the revised response to questions 40 & 41 on the SDE website: Single institution applicants must indeed describe their own concept & design elements. This must include a one-page 500-word maximum narrative summarising the key elements of the conceptual design solution and can include appendices including basic graphics, sketches, drawings, diagrams, etc.. You can refer to section 5.4 Criterion 4 / Conceptual Intention in the Call. Multi-organisational or multi-investigator projects must go beyond the concept & design elements to succinctly describe their shared responsibilities.
Addendum 2
Please note the recommended Registration date: October 13 @ 17h00 CET.
Addendum 3
Please indicate the 6-digit registration number with the registration fee bank transfer
Questions
- Is there a portal for applications?
Answer: No. Applications are to be sent to application@solardecathlon.eu. If the files are too large to be sent by email, send a link to a service such as WeTransfer with a link to where the file can be downloaded. See page 13 of the Call for Teams.
Answered 21.07.17 - Where is the registration form?
Answer: There is not a registration form. Registration is done by sending an email to application@solardecathlon.eu with the information described on page 9 of the Call for Teams.
Answered 21.07.17 - How will the team support be composed (cash, in-kind, etc.)
and how will this be paid out?
Answer: As stated on page 10 of the Call for Teams, “Payment schedule will be announced upon dissemination of Team selection”.
Answered 21.07.17 - Do you provide housing or food during competition?
Answer: The organisers of SDE19 are working to secure the availability of affordable housing for the team members. Accomodation, meals and sundries are the responsibility of the individual teams.
Answered 21.07.17 - Is there a maximum limit of team members?
Answer: No. Teams can be composed of any number of Team Members.
Answered 21.07.2017 - Are the teams free to modify the number of Team Members
and/or names of the Team Officers (Table 2, page 17, Rules)?
Answer: Yes. Teams can modify the number of decathletes and the names of officers. See Rule 30.1.1
Answered on 21.07.2017 - Could you please explain the differences between the
Project Manager and the Student Team Leader? Their responsibilities seem to be counter-intuitive. Who makes the final decision when unforeseen issues or conflicts arise?
Answer: The Project Manager answers to the Student Team Leader.
Answered on 21.07.2017 - Is it possible to recruit more members and/or modify the Team Officers Table after the submission deadline?
Answer: Yes. See Rule 30.1.1.
Answered on 21.07.2017 - We would like a clearer definition of the terms decathlete and team member and their respective responsibilities. Our team comprises of members who will graduate on March 2018, more than the 12-month period referenced in the rules document as decathletes, and we are concerned whether we will be elligible as a team for the contest.
Answer: This is clarified in the definitions on page 10 and page 11 of the SDE19 Rules. Students who are team members are decathletes. Students who graduate 12 months or less before the beginning of assembly (July 2019) are considered decathletes. All other graduates are considered team members. Please note that graduates enrolled in PhD programs are also considered decathletes.
Answered on 21.07.2017 - How can an existing renovation project be prefabricate and assembled on site within nine days? As we are thinking the existing homes could not be moved?
Answer: Teams are expected to bring a house to the SDE19 that replicates the conditions of an existing house. This has been done by many teams in past Solar Decathlon competitions. Notably, this was done by the team from the University of Wollongong, Australia in SD China 2013 (1st Place) and the team from TU Delft, Netherlands in SDE14 (3rd Place).
Answered on 24.07.17 - If a rooftop apartment, should it also be built on top of an existing home in Hungary? Or it is built on top of foundation?
Answer: The organisers are considering two scenarios for rooftop buildings. Scenario 1 will see a group of houses built on top of a steel grid structure aproximately 5 meters high. Scenario 2 will see ‘roof-top’ buildings built on normal foundations but use augmented and/or virtual reality to allow visitors to understand their context. Rooftop solutions do not need to necessarily be situated in Hungary. Rooftop solutions were presented in SDE14 by teams from Roma III, Italy, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark, National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan, University of the Arts, Germany, University of Applied Sciences of Frankfurt, Germany and Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico. Project manuals for the SDE teams can be downloaded at:
http://www.solardecathlon2014.fr/en/documentation
Answered on 24.07.17 - What would be the floor areas of the building (we see that the 2019 competition may allow a larger-size building). And what would be the footprint given to each team (e.g., 35 m by 35 m)?
Answer: The site dimensions will remain 20m x 20m. The architectural footprint must respect the setbacks and the solar envelope. See Rule 5.1 & Rule 6.2.
Answered on 24.07.17 - Regarding chapter 7.2 and chapter 4.4, we would like to know when maximum depth to cave in order to ground our electrical installation?
Answer: The minimum depth and other conditions of grounding anchors will be described in version 2.0 of the SDE19 Rules.
Answered on 27.07.17 - What are temperatures and mass flow rates of the water inside the heating and cooling network?
Answer: The heating/cooling network operates at aproximately 37-42 ºC for heating and 7-12 ºC for cooling. Additional information about the network will be described in Version 2.0 of the SDE19 Rules.
Answered on 27.07.17 - What is the detail level in the budget to present in the Call Of Teams?
Answer: The budgets should describe individual costs and sources of income & support in a level of detail that allows the jury to assess the viability of the budget. This should reflect estimates of effort (ie hours), market prices, hourly wages, etc.
Answered on 27.07.17 - What do you expect about the Summary Of Public Release to present in the Call Of Teams?
Answer: See 4.1.4 on Page 20 of the Call for Teams.
Answered on 27.07.17 - What is the meaning of “licensed professional” who approves and signs the house’s electrical system and structural calculus? Could be an engineer with competences to sign these type of installations?
Answer: Yes. The electrical system and structural calculations need to be approved by a person with the authority to do so in the team’s home country.
Answered on 27.07.17 - When the “Competition Calendar” will be available?
Answer: The competition calendar will be made available with the team selection.
Answered on 27.07.17 - Regarding chapter 4.13, what do you mean exactly with “Exceptional road transport”?
Answer: The question refers to Rule 4.13. The site will accept all road transport that does not need a police escort (ie “blue-light escort).
Answered on 27.07.17 - Regarding 23.5.8 chapter, could you clarify us the “specific period of time” to evaporate 2.3 kg of water?
Answer: As with many of the details in the SDE19 Rules, the specifics of the contests will be refined in Version 2.0. In this case, the organisers will determine the “specific period of time” in Version 2.0 or at a later date. The period will determined based on the performance of stoves available on the market at the time of the competition.
Answered on 27.07.17 - As it would be student based competition can I (as a PhD student) be a member of a team or not? Also could we have lecturers in our team or not?
Answer: PhD students who are enrolled in a university are considered decathletes. One member of the faculty must be on the team and designated as the Faculty Advisor.
Answered on 31.07.17 - Is there any limitation or rules about number of each team members or their discipline or not?
Answer: No – there is no limitation on the number of team members or from which discipline they are attributed.
Answered on 31.07.17 - Should the proposed solution strictly follow our country’s legislation regarding the urban planning and building elements, i.e. the available structural restrictions, building heights etc? For example, if the national legislation does not allow new rooftop constructions in order to avoid exceeding existing building heights does this mean that we cannot deal with the second available choice?
Answer: The SDE houses are considered prototypes or full-scale (1:1) models. Within this context, a competition entry could be considered to be an experiment to show that rooftop solutions make sense in order to change zoning regulations in a team’s home country. All houses must meet structural, electrical and other building codes to ensure safety, but not necessarily the zoning regulations for their intended use. It is up to the teams to position the context of their proposal properly.
Answered on 15.08.17 - When dealing with a renovation of an existing structure, how should our solution simulate the existing building elements, i.e. brick walls? Should we recreate them in the Solar village site with the same materials, like concrete and bricks?
Answer: Not necessarily. See Questions 10 & 11. Other teams have simulated thermal qualities without recreating the original structures exactly (ie TU Delft in SDE14).
Answered on 15.08.17 - When dealing with an apartment in a high floor of a multi-storey building, should our structure be put on a container as proposed or can it be based near the ground?
Answer: The organisers are working to secure a raised structure for rooftop solutions. Alternatively, the use of augmented and virtual reality systems might allow visitors to experience a rooftop solution without raising the entire house.
See Question 11.
Answered on 15.08.17 - My university is thinking about participation in Solar Decathlon 2019 in Hungary. In competition, one of the options is “renovation of the traditional rectangular ground floor building model with brick wall either with concrete flooring or without heavy flooring solution”. We are wondering what does it mean exactly? Could you provide us more specific information about those buildings which we need to know during redesigning process (for example thermal mass)?
Answer: There is a scan of a typical house at this link:
http://mnl.gov.hu/sites/default/files/keml/virtual/retro/04/tervek/tipusterv1968.jpg The organisers are looking to provide further information in the coming weeks.
Answered on 15.08.17 - We would be grateful for your guidance with regards to the funding mechanisms applied for this scheme. Could you please let us know: The maximum budget amount that can be claimed? The eligible and ineligible costs? For instance, would this fund cover 100% Full Economic Costing including salaries of permanent research staff, institutional estates and indirects?
Answer: The SDE19 organisers will provide 100 000 euro (€) for each selected team, based on the team’s full participation in the competition. This includes and is not restricted to the compliant design, preparation, and assembly of the full-scale (1:1) SDE house in Szentendre’s innovation parc, in July 2019. The full terms, conditions and schedule for payments will be announced upon team selection.The funds from the SDE19 organisers can be used for any costs. Each team is responsible for any and all other funding and third party support. The definitive team budget is not limited and is to be described in the application for participation (see 4.1.3 in the Call for Teams). Other funds, depending on the source of the funding, may have restrictions and may require separate contractural clauses between the team and the respective funding source(s).Answered on 27.08.2017
- Can we add a page in our webpage to include information regarding basic features and the target of our house?
Answer: Yes. The organisers expect teams to explain the goals of their house to the general public & to use online presence & visibility, which includes social media, to this end. The requirements to apply do not include an immediate website. Once teams have been selected, they will be evaluated according to the Rules.
Answered on 06.08.2017 - Should have the SD logo the same size of our team logo? Which should be the size of our home university logo?
Answer: The Graphic Chart and information on SDE19 branding will be further developed in the coming versions of the SDE19 Rules. For the SDE19 Call for Teams, we expect the applications to respect the collaborative nature of the competition. The EEF logo is available on the EEF website:
http://energyendeavour.org/mission/downloads/
The SDE visual identity kit is here:
https://solardecathlon.eu/sde-visual-identitydownload-the-chart/
The recommendation is as follows:
• team logo & university logo at identical proportions
• SDE19 logo & EEF logo at identical proportions
For printed documentation (application documents):
• team name in title
• university name associated with university logo
• SDE19 logo & EEF logo on cover page
The goal here is to be respectful of the organisers (EMI) as well as the SDE brand and the Energy Endeavour Foundation, which is stewarding the Solar Decathlon in Europe. Please note that the team branding will evolve; the content of the proposal is more important that the Team logos.
Answered on 06.08.2017 - The Rule 29.2.2 specifies the compatibility (responsive design) of the website. How can be punctuated the responsiveness if we no consider this feature?
Answer: This is irrelevant for the Call for Teams. The organisers expect the web presence of all teams that are selected to be compatible with current and future devices, be they PCs, tablets or smartphones.
However, the Call for Teams asks for proposals, not finished websites and as such, this issue is irrelevant to the SDE19 Call for Teams.
Answered on 06.08.2017 - Can we plant trees inside of the building area?
Answer: Yes. Vegetation is accepted and even encouraged within the 20m x 20m plot of each team’s SDE site. All flora that is part of the house should not be planted, but encased in pots or other systems that allow their
transport and removal.
Answered on 06.08.2017 - How should we hand the communication plan in for the call for teams? Which is the maximum extension for it?
Answer: The Call for Teams asks potential candidates to outline their communication plan leading up to and after the SDE19 competition. The extent and scope of each team’s plan depends on their specific objectives, target audiences and impact strategy.
Answered on 06.08.2017 - We set a non-for-profit organization in support of our team comprising of several post-secondary educational institutions. Can such an organization make the application on behalf of the team or does the team can only be represented by one of the post-secondary educational institutions making the team (for example the school of architecture)?
Answer: No. The Solar Decathlon Europe is an university student competition. Other institutions in a collaborative team can be universities, limited companies or non-profits but the lead institution must be a degree-granting institution where some of the decathletes are enrolled.
Answered on 06.08.2017 - What are the intentions of the organisers behind the availability of low temperature heating and cooling networks?
Answer: The Solar Decathlon aims to move away from fossil-fuel powered buildings. In many European cities, there are networks of heating and cooling which might be an alternative to PV or thermal collectors. The network in Szentendre is powered by a nearby sewage treatment plant which meets the goals of the Solar Decathlon to use renewable energy to power and heat buildings. The network is available but there is not a requirement to use it.
Answered on 06.08.2017 - Does the team must prepare and submit a proposal for the Extended Exhibition Period?
Answer: No. The conditions for the extended exhibition period will
be described with the team selection.
Answered on 06.08.2017 - Who is organising and managing the sponsoring Webshop?
Answer: The SDE19 organisers (EMI) will organise the webshop.
Answered on 06.08.2017 - Which typeface or font should be used for the application?
Answer: There is no specification for typefaces for applications. It is recommended to use a serif typeface for long passages of text and a sans-serif typeface for titles. Please avoid too many variations in point sizes, colours, or special effects.
Answered on 06.08.2017 - Is there a deadline for asking our questions ?
Answer: Yes. Every effort will be made to answer in a timely manner. The deadline for submissions is October 27th, 2017. We recommend to upload the applications as early as possible and at least 2 days before the deadline. Questions will not be answered after 17:00 CET, Friday, October 20, 2017.
Answered on 06.08.2017 - In section 4.1.2.6, letters of support from partners / end users are required. We are planning to submit a proposal with only one university. Do we need letters of support from the different sections in our university? Do we need letters of support from industrial partners, or are those not required right now? The criteria mention that industrial involvement is encouraged, but letters are required?
Answer: No, if there is one university institution, there is no need to indicate a partnership, so letters of support from various collaborative sections, faculties or academic departments are not necessary. However, regarding letters of support from industrial sources: Teams are expected to solicit support & sponsorship relationships from industrial sources, and indicate these potential relationships in their submission. Letters of support from these cooperative relationships can be included but are not obligatory at this time.
Answered on 08.09.17 - In section 4.1.2.6, “concept and design elements” are only required for multi-organisational projects. Single-organisational projects do not need to file such documents?
Answer: Yes, if there is only one institution, section 4.1.2.6 is not applicable, as there is no need to describe the shared responsibilities in said requirements.
Answered on 08.09.17 - Section 4.1.2.3: Does technical description include the architectural design? Design is listed as an important criterion, but it is unclear in which part this should be addressed.
Answer: Yes, the architectural design (or design intention) is part of the technical description.
Answered on 08.09.17
Addendum to Questions 40 & 41 _ Please note the revised response to questions 40 & 41 on the SDE website: Single institution applicants must indeed describe their own concept & design elements. This must include a one-page 500-word maximum narrative summarising the key elements of the conceptual design solution and can include appendices including basic graphics, sketches, drawings, diagrams, etc.. You can refer to section 5.4 Criterion 4 / Conceptual Intention in the Call. Multi-organisational or multi-investigator projects must go beyond the concept & design elements to succinctly describe their shared responsibilities. - What do the ‘program policy factors’ mean in this context? (‘The ability and plan to obtain sponsorships and team support are a part of the evaluation & selection criteria and program policy factors for this Call for Teams’)
Answer: This program policy factors refers to the original mandate and goals of the Solar Decathlon as conceived by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Answered on 08.09.17 - ‘Any other proposal to solve specific local challenges that could enrich the SDE Community’. In this context, with ‘local challenges’ are you addressing Hungary or the participating country?
Answer: The SDE19 is addressing local and regional (European) challenges with a focus on renovation. More specifically, the SDE19 is addressing challenges, through adjusted SDE19 rules, to include contests in Neighbourhood Integration & Impact, Innovation & Viability and Circularity & Sustainability. Teams are encouraged to highlight their own local and regional issues in their proposals as these relate to the specifically European challenges (renovation) and the other, universal challenges (Neighbourhood Integration & Impact / Innovation & Viability / Circularity & Sustainability).
Answered on 08.09.17 - Could you provide us more information about the low-temperature heating and cooling distribution networks in the Solar Village? (‘There are low-temperature heating and cooling distribution networks in the Solar Village contest area, which can be used for the houses as well as a smart heat grid to provide and accept thermal energy’).
Answer: The heating / cooling network is powered through a nearby sewage treatment plant. Please see Questions 14 & 34.
Answered on 08.09.17 - The webinar, when will it be held?
Answer: The webinar date, time and URL will be announced on the SDE website in coming days.
Answered on 08.09.17 - How are you going to fund the participating teams: only cash or cash and services?
Answer: The organisers will provide € 100000 to each team. The schedule, conditions & terms of payment will be announced with the team selection.
Please see Question 27.
Answered on 08.09.17 - What does actually mean age-friendly design? Should we approach the traditional design or the modern one? (‘Neighbourhood integration and age-friendly home design will be emphasised as well as the market viability of the house concept’)
Answer: The term ‘age-friendly’ refers to occupants of all ages –
from toddlers to the elderly.
Answered on 08.09.17 - Is it possible that an university to be involved in 2 Solar Decathlon competitions at the same time? For example if an university is already involved in SDME 2018 as Key Participant or Leading University, could it also participate in SDE 2019 as part of R&D Team?
Answer: Yes – a university can participate in more than one Solar Decathlon competition. There is nothing to prevent this, as each competition is individually run and managed. However, it is recommended to seriously consider the ability and capacity of the university to be successful in two separate and / or parallel SD initiatives.
Answered on 08.09.17 - Is it possible that a Faculty, as part of an University to be involved in SDE 2019 independently of the University?
Answer: Not likely. Usually, the university is the legal entity – an MOU needs to be signed by a legal signing authority, which is usually the president or rector of the university.
Answered on 08.09.17 - If it’s not confidential, is there any other university team from our country that showed its interest in participating in the competition? I’m asking this because at this early stage we are thinking that it’s better to collaborate with another university team instead of competing with them.
Answer: It is not possible to provide this information. As of September 6th, 2017, there have been over 11000 hits to the website from over 150 countries. Partnerships are encouraged as they help to spread responsibilities and costs. We encourage universities interested in collaboration to reach out on their own to other potential partners, both nationally and internationally.
Answered on 08.09.17 - In the point 4.1.2.5: What does “time commitment” means?
Answer: Time commitment refers to the percentage of staff or student time committed to the project. (i.e. a professor at 50%, a staff member at 75%, a student with 15 of 30 credits in a semester being part of the project.)
Answered on 01.10.17 - In the chapter 4.1.2.3: What is expected from “Relevance and Outcomes”? Can you define “Notice” term?
Answer: Notice refers to the Call for Teams itself. In terms of ‘Relevance and Outcomes”, applicants are expected to describe how the goals of the team’s proposed SDE project are aligned with the stated objectives of the SDE19. This supposes an understanding of the house’s projected relevance and the outcome of the project as a whole.
Answered on 01.10.17 - Can an institute’s department A submit a proposal in the name of their own institution, meanwhile department B and C collaborate as an international partner with another separate proposal?
Answer: Yes. Only one application from a lead institution is allowed, but that does not preclude an institution supporting a separate application from a different lead institution. Please make sure that the capacity to properly support a separate proposal is available.
Answered on 06.10.17 - What information is needed to submit the support letters from our partners. Do you want an agreement with detailed actions from both parts?
Answer: The support letter should be a simple one page document describing the commitment to support the project and the scope of this support. The technical volume should describe the shared activities – See 4.1.2.6 in the Call for Teams.
Answered on 06.10.17 - May I ask if some high school students from local Hungarian schools could participate in the 2019 site building of the Solar Decathlon building under the supervision of safety-licensed professionals? The reason I am asking is that this could increase the impact of SDE 2019 to local under-aged students and community.
Answer: Yes, engagement of youth to assist the SDE is welcome. The organisers will be organising volunteers from local higher education institutions and can assist teams to find additional help. While encouraging high school students to take part, please be aware that engaging underage youth will need special attention to local labour laws and approval of their guardians.
Answered on 06.10.17 - What kind of changes (e.g. design elements, budget) are allowed regarding the submitted proposal after the team’s selection?
Answer: There is no limit to changes during the development process. There is a detailed list of deliverables in the SDE19 Rules and any changes will need to be identified and documented from deliverable to deliverable.
Answered on 06.10.17 - Regarding section 4.1.3, the Budget should be for the project as a whole, but in an in-depth approach or in a more descriptive way?
Answer: See Question 15.
Answered on 06.10.17 - In section 4.1.2.5 we would appreciate a clarification of what defines the time commitment of key team members. What constitutes an affirmation of commitment?
Answer: See Question 51. An affirmation of commitment is a statement that the people named will be able to carry out their roles as described in the SDE19 Rules.
Answered on 06.10.17 - As far as the sizing of the HVAC system is concerned, teams should size their systems for the whole year or just for the summer days of the competition? Over-sizing isn’t a problem during the monitoring of the prototype?
Answer: Systems should be designed to reflect the design intention of the project and to enable the team to reach the target performances as described in the SDE19 Rules.
Answered on 06.10.17 - We would like, if possible to participate in this competition as an NGO, which is empowered by the representatives of the two universities to lead the project. In this case, the application letter would be signed by the head of one of the universities involved. In the end, if accepted in competition, the project would be run by the NGO and the universities are both equally promoted in our country and in competition.
Answer: The Solar Decathlon Europe 2019 organisers will make an MOU with a lead institution of higher education. If the finances of the project run through a wholly owned non-profit, that is up to the lead institution. Nonetheless, the legal partner of the SDE19 organisers must be a recognised institute of higher education that can assign educational credits for the work done on the project. This is to guarantee that the decathletes will receive academic recognition for their efforts.
Answered on 06.10.17 - The Sub-recipients / third party cost share providers are actually the ‘key participants’ in our organisation? (universities, NGO, limited companies).
Answer: The lead institution should sign a cover page. (See 4.1.2.1 of the Call for Teams). All other partners should submit a letter of support (See 4.1.2.6 in the Call for Teams).
Answered on 06.10.17 - What is the difference between letters of commitment and letters of support? (letters of commitment address the key participants and letters of support the sponsors?)
Answer: Letters of commitment are to be submitted by consortium partners (ie other higher education institutions). Letter of support might come from companies or other institutions taking a secondary and / or supporting role.
Answered on 06.10.17 - What does ‘key Team Member’ means in this context? (Describe the time commitment of the key Team members to support the project.)
Answer: A key team member is one listed in the SDE19 Rules as a Team Officer (See Rule 3.2 in the SDE19 Rules).
Answered on 06.10.17 - Is it mandatory at this stage to fill in every position of the ‘Team Officers’
list in rule 3.2?
Answer: No: It is not necessesary to fill in every position of the Team Officer list for the Call for Teams.
Answered on 09.10.17 - Regarding the Extended Exhibition: How are you going to select the houses that will be part of the Exhibition? How long does it last? If our prototype will be chosen among them, are we allowed to monitor and proceed some tests in order to get some data about its performance? We are planning also to certify our prototype after the competition and some evaluations and measures should be performed.
Answer: Information about the extended period will be made available with the team selection. The criteria for selection to the competition is indpendent of the conditions for an extended period. See Question 35.
Answered on 09.10.17 - How does the the solar envelope (described on page 21 in the Rules) apply for the first two tasks?
Answer: The solar envelope determines the maximum size of the house during normal operations. All tasks during the competition (after assembly) must be performed withing the solar envelope.
Answered on 09.10.17 - Do the teams have to also build the ‘existing’ building for renovation during
the 10 days?
Answer: Yes. Teams should bring an example of the existing building as a demonstration of their case. Please see the previous projects refered to in the answer to Question 11.
Answered on 09.10.17 - Do we already have to finalize our choice of the 4 given tasks in the Application?
Answer: Yes. Teams should indicate their design intention in their application as is described in Chapter 4 of the Call for Teams. Please also see the criteria for evaluation in Chapter 5.
Answered on 09.10.17 - How does it change the evaluation process if our team is alone in one of the 4 categories?
Answer: The joint selection committee will evaluate all applications according to the criteria described in Chapter 5 of the Call for Teams. The number of teams in any one of the categories is not a criteria.
Answered on 09.10.17 - In the case of a rooftop apartment, do the teams have to design the electrical system (e.g. PV panels) for one apartment or the whole house?
Answer: The electrical system should cover or exceed the requirements of the rooftop house. A potential strategy is to use excess energy to help power the rest of the building. Several ‘rooftop’ solutions in SDE14 used this strategy. See Question 11.
Answered on 09.10.17 - We would like to ask if all the necessary bibliography and references in our technical description count towards the page limit?
Answer: No. Reference letters and bibliographic lists do not count to the page limit of the technical description.
Answered on 09.10.17 - I have found an institution partner to building a joint team between my institution and the partner university. In this case, do I still use the same one control number, or does my partner have also to apply for another control number of application?
Answer: Only one institution should register per project. See 1.2 on Page 9 of the Call for Teams
Answered on 09.10.17 - Is the summary slide expected to be a DIN A4 or are we free to dimension it?
Answer: The summary slide is expected to be in DIN A4 landscape or in standard video projection sizes & ratios (ie 4:3, 16:9, etc.) The slides will be projected during the joint selection committee deliberations.
Answered 10.10.2017 - May I ask whether the team field trip to Hungary for workshops organizaed by SDE19 committee (including the final site competition) will be partly supported by the Committee? For example, are the accommodation and meals covered by SDE19 organized workshops? If so, should these accommodation and meal cost be included in the budget estimate of the proposal submission?
Answer: The SDE19 Organisers will offer € 100000 to each selected team to use as they see fit All other costs must be covered by the teams themselves. Please list all costs including travel, meals and accomnodation in the total budget.
See Question 27.
Answered 23.10.2017 - My institutional team has identified industry partners, but due to the shortage of time before the deadlin on 27 Oct, the partners agreed to support, but at this moment it is unclear of the scope of support (amount of materials donation or technical support). But we are sure to make it clear early 2018. So my question is: should the support letter specify the scope of support clearly, or can be a general support letter stating industry partners’ interests and support?
Answer: A general letter of support stating industry partners’ interests and support will suffice for the Call for Teams application.
Answered 23.10.2017 - Teams are expected to solicit support & sponsorship relationships from industrial sources, and indicate these potential relationships in their submission. Letters of support from these cooperative relationships can be included but are not obligatory at this time. So our question is: Is it possible to simply indicate the partners we intend to work with and to sort out the detail of the donations later if we are accepted into the programme?
Answer: A general letter of support will suffice for the Call for Teams application but is not obligatory.
Answered 23.10.2017 - Is it possible that a university which is Leading University in Solar Decathlon Middle East competition to be at the same time Leading University in Solar Decathlon Europe 2019?
Answer: Yes, it is possible to be the leading university in both SD events.
Answered 23.10.2017 - We have chosen to work from the existing homes in our area. These are composed of 2 levels (ground floor + first floor) of about 36m² each (8 x 4.5m), with a return on one or two floors, a partial cellar and an attic often fitted out. If the height of the gutter is generally 7m from the ground (limit height fixed by the competition), the height at the ridge is about 10m above ground level. This silhouette does not fit in the envelope described in § 5.1,6.2 and 6.3 of the Contest Rules, which seems to be made for houses of 2 levels with a flat roof. We fear that artificially inserting the archetype of our house in the profile of the SDE19 contradicts the thermal functioning of the house and the ambitions of mediation with the general public of our region. Will we be allowed to replicate our model home more faithfully? Do you plan to adapt the regulation on this point to reproduce more accurately the renovation stakes of the existing building that you have set yourself
Answer: The envelope is described to ensure that shadows do not encroach on neighbouring sites. Teams are expected to simulate the conditions of existing construction through similar materials or simulated environments. Many entries in SDE14 did this (See Question 11). Provisions can be made for extending beyond the defined envelope. See Rule 5.1.
Answered 23.10.2017 - The cover letter should contain : «any statements regarding confidentiality”. What is required? What is intended?
Answer: Please indicate in the application if any of the information falls under confidentiality conditions.
Answered 23.10.2017 - In order to clarify ideological misunderstandings, what do you mean by “transformable or multi-use spaces” in §15.5?
Answer: This refers to areas of the house that can change their use through moveable furniture or architectural elements. In previous SDE entries, the house has made use of moveable or transformable furniture to change the use of a particular space (ie. beds that retract to make a living space).
Answered 23.10.2017 - Can we get an invoice for the 750€ with our registration number? This is required by the accounting of our organization which is a public institution.
Answer: Yes, invoices will be issued to all applicants.
Answered 23.10.2017 - We would like to know whether the construction of the prototype in our university is necessary.
Answer: No, the prototypes do not necessarily need to constructed before assembly at the solar village. However, many teams find this advantageous as it allows teams to better prepare for the short official assembly phase.
Answered 03.11.2017 - We would like to know if the teams can submit questions after the 20th of October due to the sde19 call deadline extension.
Answer: Yes, questions submitted until November 10, 2017 @ 17:00 CET
will be answered.
Answered 03.11.2017 - Regarding Press Release and Summary Slide: Who supposes to be the Project Director or the Prime Investigator of our project? In the Press Release, the Major Participants (for collaborative projects) are only the educational institutions? What does exactly mean Prime Recipient stated in Summary Slide?
Answer: The Press Release and Summary slide refer items with the following meaning:
Project Director – This is the contact person’s name as listed in the registration email
Prime Investigator – This refers to the Faculty Advisor, who may or may not be a professor.
Major Participants – This refers to institutional partners sharing the responsibility for the project.
Prime Recipient – This refers to the institution that will receive the SDE19 funds.
Answered 08.11.2017 - To be sure of our mutual understanding of the terms used in the call, we kindly ask you to define:
– technical baseline
– technical feasibility
Answer: The technical Baseline (4.1.2.2 & 4.1.2.3) refers to the state of the art of science and technology relating to the technical issue being addressed by the project. The technical feasibility (4.1.2.3) refers to the ability of the team to achieve their goals through competencies, equipment and/or experience.
Answered 09.11.2017 - You elaborated in your answer on Question 41 the 4.1.2.9 – but we assume all in all, also single institiution participants submits:
– Communication Plans
– Concept and Design Elements
– Provide graphics, e.g., sketches …
Answer:
>Communication Plans __ 4.1.2.4 states that ALL applicants must indicate how communications will be maintained among Project Team members. ALL teams are invited to elaborate on a general communications plan, but the emphasis for submission is on communications among Project Team members.
> Concept and Design Elements __ ALL applicants (single or multi investigator projects) must indeed describe their own concept & design elements. This must include a one-page 500-word maximum narrative summarising the key elements of the conceptual design solution.
> Graphics, e.g., sketches … ALL applicants CAN include appendices including basic graphics, sketches, drawings, diagrams, etc.. These appendices are not obligatory.
> Multi-organisational or multi-investigator projects must go beyond the concept & design elements to succinctly describe their SHARED responsibilities (4.1.2.6 states that )
These are to be included in the 20 page limit of the Technical Volume. You can refer to section 5.4 Criterion 4 / Conceptual Intention in the Call.
Answered 09.11.2017 - We are organizing a team for the competition. Is it possible to extend our team later with an another university without changing the content of our application?
Answer: Yes. As long as the lead institution remains the same, teams can extend their partners as the projects develop.
Answered 10.11.2017 - I would like to know who can apply for SDE2019, as for our organisation, we are are a public research center and we want to apply. Can you, please, confirm us that we can apply, and just tell us all the steps we have to go through in order to apply.
Answer: No. Non-academic research-oriented institutions are not eligible to apply as the lead applicant. The Solar Decathlon Europe is a student competition. Collaborative teams can be comprised of research institutes, limited companies or non-profits; however, the lead applicant must be a degree-granting post-secondary institution where decathletes are enrolled. This is clearly stated in the SDE19 Call for Teams in section 3.1 and clarified in the answer to Question 33. It is suggested to team up with a university in order to meet the requirements for eligibility.
Answered 11.11.2017
_ _ _
sde_callforteams_questions_20171111
_ _ _
Updated November 11, 2017