Chilean university students created the first-ever solar village in Latin America, as a part of the Build Solar 2015 (Construye Solar) competition.

For 11 days during the month of April, visitors are able to visit the solar homes created by six teams of students, where they'll learn about sustainable home design and energy efficiency.

Construye Solar was organized by La Ruta Solar (The Solar Road), Chilean Housing Ministry and the Chile Green Building Council, and it's devoted to generating awareness about sustainable construction techniques, recycled products, sustainability and renewable energy.

The six competing teams are from numerous South American educational institutions, and the groups created the homes with the purpose of addressing Chile's environmental challenges, which includes pollution, the increasing price of energy and loss of green space. The competition additionally advertises solar energy as a viable alternative house option for low-earning individuals in South America.

The Solar Village has been made available to the public from April 10-19. And to enter, visitors must bring a recycled item, pedal on the "BiciWatt" to produce energy for one of the six power generators, or display admission tickets on smartphones, reducing paper waste.

The solar homes were inspired by a number of different things, including traditional architecture and recyclability. Conservation, preservation, clean living and re-purposing were extremely important when developing the houses. According to Construye Solar, 58 percent of energy consumed is related to heating. In Chile, firewood is the most popular heating solutions, but this also creates pollution. Solar power usage for heat creation saves resources and it limits pollution. The six houses, which make up the Solar Village, teach valuable lessons about pollution and environmentalism.

The winning team will be chosen based on the team that best incorporated renewable energy, recycled goods and construction techniques.

Related