Report on the Kick-off Meeting of Erasmus+
KA220 Project “SOLAR VILLAGE”
On October 10th and 11th, 2024, Escola Profissional Amar Terra Verde (EPATV) had the honor of hosting the Kick-off meeting of the Erasmus+ KA220 project “SOLAR VILLAGE” (2024-1-SI01-KA220-VET-000256327). This event marked the official start of the project’s activities, bringing together representatives from all partners:
Project Objectives
The “SOLAR VILLAGE” aims to promote sustainability and energy efficiency through the construction of six solar villages in different regions of Europe. These structures will be used to study and demonstrate the effectiveness of shading solutions in reducing energy consumption for building cooling. The first solar village has already been installed at EPATV, serving as a model for future implementations. Each village will consist of 12 cubes equipped with temperature sensors, oriented in different directions (South, East, West, and North), with variations in shading application (internal, external, and no shading). The collected data will allow for the evaluation of the impact of these solutions and the promotion of good sustainable construction practices, contributing to education in the field of energy efficiency.
Event Program October 10th
The day began with the reception of partners and team introductions. This was followed by an introduction to the project by the coordinator Anja Grašič and the lecture “Introduction to the Solar Village,” given by engineer Marko Novak from Dewesoft, on the impact of shading in reducing building cooling energy consumption. In the afternoon, participants took part in a cultural visit to the city of Braga, exploring historical sites such as the Sé Cathedral, Bom Jesus do Monte, and the Sanctuary of Sameiro.
October 11th
The second day started with a presentation on the digitalization process of the solar village, conducted by ZASE. This was followed by a guided tour of EPATV and a technical visit to the solar village installed in Portugal, led by the Portuguese and Slovenian teams. The installation of this solar village took place in the week leading up to the project’s Kick-off meeting, carried out by the Portuguese team consisting of students and teachers from the Electrotechnics technical course, with the assistance of a group of five students and two teachers from the Slovenian vocational school, under the guidance of engineer Marko Novak. In the afternoon, participants visited Guimarães, a UNESCO World Heritage city, exploring emblematic sites such as the Palace of the Dukes of Bragança and Guimarães Castle.
Conclusions
The Kick-off Meeting of the “SOLAR VILLAGE” project enabled effective alignment among partners and a better understanding of the project’s objectives and next steps. The exchange of knowledge, direct contact with the first solar village, and cultural immersion enriched the participants’ experience, reinforcing the importance of international cooperation in promoting sustainability. With the implementation of solar villages in different European regions, a significant impact is expected on energy efficiency education and the dissemination of sustainable practices within the involved communities.