Ronny Morocho, Belén Cárdenas, Byron Espinoza and Luis Ochoa, students majoring in environmental engineering and biomedicine in our branch campus in Cuenca, presented a project titled “Green House” which was chosen as one of the best projects in the 9th edition of the “Premios Verdes 2022. Energy efficiency technology applied to homes”. 

Green House is a prototype of a home that facilitates the efficient and responsible use of energy. In the case of construction, between 40% and 50% of the CO2 emitted into the atmosphere originate in the construction and use of buildings. This project has systems for: Collection of river water, solar heater, wind turbines, self-sustaining garden, reuse of water in shower-washbasin-toilet, mist capture, piezoelectric tiles, water sanitization.

The students explained that to carry out their project they first analyzed the conditions that must be considered in order to design sustainable houses, which must meet six basic criteria: Implement operational designs , make proper planning, build with cost savings, meet the needs of users, take advantage of the natural resources and environmental conditions of the area, implement strategies to improve energy efficiency in the house, with three elements that are considered basic in a sustainable house: temperature, lighting and energy.

Every year the “Premios Verdes 2022” competition, the most relevant in the region, awards and creates networks among the best social and environmental projects of ibero America. The Green House project was chosen as one the best 500 project of environmental impact which is aligned with the sustainable development goals.