On Wednesday, 11 March 2026, a delegation from the Mechanical Engineering School of the Ptuj School Centre visited the Municipality of Ptuj, where we presented the project Solar Village, which focuses on researching passive methods of temperature regulation in buildings.

The delegation consisted of students Jan Čeh and Simon Zamuda, mentor Danijel Bedenik, coordinator Anja Jesenek Grašič, and Marko Novak, a representative of the company Dewesoft.

The Solar Village project investigates how passive architectural solutions—especially appropriate shading strategies—can reduce building overheating and consequently lower energy consumption for cooling.

Globally, energy consumption for cooling is rapidly increasing, while buildings account for approximately 40% of total global energy consumption, making efficient solutions in this field extremely important.

Within the project, students participate in:

• assembling experimental building models (cubes),

• installing sensors and measurement equipment,

• monitoring temperature measurements,

• analysing data and interpreting the results.

Measurements have shown that external shading in summer can reduce the maximum indoor temperature by up to approximately 30°C compared to an unshaded building, while significantly reducing solar heat gains. In winter, however, solar radiation has a beneficial effect, which makes seasonal adaptation of shading strategies important.

The project represents an excellent example of cooperation between education, industry, and the local community. Industrial partners participate in the digitalisation of the measurement system, enabling continuous monitoring of data and its practical application.

During the meeting with the Municipality of Ptuj, we also presented possible applications of the project results in the local environment, including:

• integrating passive cooling strategies into the design of public buildings,

• promoting the use of external shading in new constructions and energy renovations,

• pilot projects for digital monitoring of temperature in public buildings,

• cooperation between municipalities, schools, and companies on sustainability projects.

Such projects significantly contribute to the development of energy-efficient and sustainable solutions for the future of buildings, while also providing students with valuable experience in collaborating with industry and the local community.