Bangalore, May 2022 – Solar Decathlon India 2021-22, an annual challenge, aimed at building the next generation of Net-Zero leaders to combat climate change in the buildings sector, announced this year’s winners through a virtual event on May 7 and 8, 2022. Mr. Aaswath Raman, Assistant Professor of Material Science and Engineering at UCLA, delivered the keynote address.
Solar Decathlon India is conducted by the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) and the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE) under the aegis of the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF). The event also organised an Internship fair to enable young leaders find their footing in the clean energy field. Solar Decathlon India 2021-22 saw over 30 organisations offer opportunities for the challenge participants.
Ms. Veena Reddy, Mission Director, USAID India, in her address, congratulated the Solar Decathlon India participants for their unique, sustainable approaches to real world challenges, and the team for enabling a platform that trains young climate change leaders of tomorrow. She said, “You are working on one of the most important challenges of our time. How can we live and fill our productive lives, but also reduce our impact on the planet? Through today’s challenge, you are all playing an important role for India’s Net-zero future.”
Congratulating the winners, Mr. Prasad Vaidya, Director, Solar Decathlon India said, “It gives me immense happiness and pride to see the successful conclusion of Solar Decathlon India’s second Design challenge. All the winners and participants have made commendable efforts, and their ingenuity has encouraged and reassured us of India’s net zero future being in capable hands. Solar Decathlon India’s mission is to train future generations and drive collaboration in science and technology to meet the UN SDGs, and we are honoured that the Design Challenge is able to contribute to the vision.”
The challenge ran for 9 months and this year had 99 teams competing, with 1300+ students from 109 institutions, guided by 165 faculty mentors. This year, the teams competed for the Division Prize in 6 competition divisions: Multi-Family Housing, Single-Family Housing, Educational Building, Office Building, Community Resilience Shelter and On-site Construction Worker Housing. The entries submitted by teams and their presentations were evaluated by a jury comprising experts from the industry. The winners of the Divisions pitched their projects to a Grand Jury comprising experts from well-known real-estate companies. The Division winners will receive a cash prize of Rs. 40,000 and the Runner-up teams will receive a cash prize of Rs. 20,000. The Grand Winner will receive a cash prize of Rs. 20,000.
Full list of the winners of the 2021-22 Challenge:-
| Awards | Category | Winner | Runner-up |
| Grand Winner | NA | Team Ecocult from RV College of Architecture and RV College of Engineering. Their real estate partner is Team Global Logistics Pvt. Ltd | NA |
| Division Awards | Community Resilience Shelter | Team Tejasvi from Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar, MBS School of Planning and Architecture, Sardar Patel College of Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Srinagar and Banasthali Vidyapith and Islamic University of Science and Technology. Their real-estate partner is SEEDS India | Team Sthairyam from Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College Of Architecture, Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering and Annamalai University. Their real estate partner is SELCO Foundation.
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| On-site Construction Worker Housing | Team Nexa from Jamia Millia Islamia. Their real estate partner is Larsen & Toubro | Team Javelin from Rachana Sansad’s Academy of Architecture,Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology and School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal. Their real estate partner is Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Pvt. Ltd. | |
| Office Building | Team Ecocult from RV College of Architecture and RV College of Engineering. Their real estate partner is Team Global Logistics Pvt. Ltd. | Team Mrittika from School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada, Puducherry Technological University and Jadavpur University. Their real estate partner is Sarda Energy & Mineral Ltd. | |
| Single Family Housing | Team Arnima from SMEF’s Brick School of Architecture and Pimpri Chinchwad College of Engineering. Their real estate partner is ASEEM Foundation | Team RVinnovate from RV College of Architecture. Their real estate partner is BetweenLines | |
| Educational Building | Team Renouveau from School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. Their real estate partner is Tribhuvan University, Nepal | Team Variable X from School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. Their real estate partner is Tribhuvan University, Nepal | |
| Multi-Family Housing | Team Sukhibhava from Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University. Their project partner is Savvy Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. | Team Nivas 2.0 Institute of Engineering and Management, Kolkata, Goa College of Architecture, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Ashoka School of Planning and Architecture, National Institute of Technology, Raipur. Their real estate partner is Mahindra Lifespaces | |
| Movie Awards | Best Movie Award | Team Arnima from SMEF’s Brick School of Architecture and Pimpri Chinchwad College of Engineering. Their real estate partner is ASEEM Foundation | NA |
| People’s Choice Movie Award based on YouTube likes | Team Inferno from Balwant Sheth School of Architecture and Jawaharlal Nehru Engineering College, Aurangabad. Their real estate partner is Harasiddh Projects | NA | |
| Outstanding Faculty Award- Prof. Abu Talha Farooqi from Jindal School of Art and Architecture | |||
Solar Decathlon India aims to help India in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, exploring affordable solutions that are forward-looking, with hands-on training for future generations to innovate and implement them. The challenge creates opportunities and provides a platform for undergraduate and graduate students in India to work on the design of energy efficient and self-reliant buildings.
The 3rd edition of the challenge, Solar Decathlon India 3.0, was announced at the closing ceremony. A rap video by the team was released to engage audiences and potential students to make the intent of the initiative accessible in a fun format.