UPV students design an app that helps improve the ventilation of homes in the face of high temperatures

VALENCIA, May 2. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Optimizing the ventilation of the homes of the vulnerable population to reduce energy expenditure and improve their health is the winning idea of ​​the hackathon organized by the European project WellBased, led by the Valencia City Council and coordinated by Las Naves.

For two days, students from various engineering schools at the Polytechnic University of Valencia have worked on this competition that aims to "contribute innovative ideas to combat the impact of high temperatures in homes that suffer from energy poverty", as reported by the council. it's a statement.

The call was held in collaboration with the Fundación València Clima i Energia, the Chair of Urban Energy Transition and the Interuniversity Chair of the Valencian Public System of Social Services.

The winning idea is based on the launch of an application that collects information extracted from sensors located in homes, "which transmit to us the need to open or close windows to maintain a more comfortable temperature." The European WellBased project is part of the innovation strategy of the Valencia City Council, Valencia Innovation Capital, and is also fully aligned with the European Green Capital.

The Councilor for Innovation, Paula Llobet, has pointed out that this competition "appeals directly to the youngest, inviting them to be participants and active agents in the most innovative projects developed by the city. We need their ideas, their freshness. They are necessary to walk towards the future and think about a city where we can face problems such as this, energy efficiency and sustainability.

The hackathon, in which up to 10 teams have participated, has also awarded second prizes to two other solutions: one that has a greater impact on people's health that develops a green climate, care and coexistence shelter, located on a pilot basis in the Natzaret neighborhood; and another proposal "with a greater degree of sustainability and positive impact" on the environment, which is based on the recycling of thermal blankets used in marathons. The idea is to use it as a cover for blinds, preventing heat and promoting the comfort of homes.

The competition has shown the students' ability to come up with innovative solutions. Proposals stand out such as a cooling pump with a solar panel that solves the problem of pollution from air conditioners, humidity or temperature measurement equipment, applications that identify the most economical energy rates or energy consumption or ideas for climate shelters powered by panels. solar and energy communities.

The European WellBased project aims to design, implement and evaluate a pilot plan to reduce energy poverty and its impacts on the health and well-being of the vulnerable population. The initiative is carried out in six pilots in various cities in Spain, Hungary, Holland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Latvia.

Valencia is the city that leads this European initiative and Las Naves is the coordinating entity. The Valencia Climate and Energy Foundation is coordinating the pilot, which is taking place in areas of Algirós, Camins al Grau, Poblats Marítims, Benimaclet, Orriols, Torrefiel, Benicalap and Patraix. The pilot in Valencia is carried out in 260 homes located in eight neighborhoods and a total of 354 people participate.

Among the actions that have been carried out is monitoring the comfort and well-being of homes through technology -installation of sensors-, carrying out energy audits aimed at improving energy efficiency, as well as the creation of the School for the Right to Energy, where community interventions, training activities, awareness-raising, and even personalized attention to the population and health support have been carried out to address the psychological consequences of energy vulnerability.