Christer Fuglesang to present Sweco prize to Chalmers students

Sweco’s student prize for 2009 goes to architect John Helmfridsson and civil engineer Mikael Mangold. With their thesis project “Through the Earth”, they hope to inspire the construction sector to create energy-smart homes.

John Helmfridsson and Mikael Mangold have carried out their thesis project in association with Peab in Gothenburg. The goal has been to develop models that can inspire Peab to create energy- and cost-efficient homes in the future. ”John Helmfridsson and Mikael Mangold have succeeded in designing and modelling a single-family home that meets the new criteria for passive houses at an additional cost of only five per cent. They have done an impressive job and worked across disciplinary boundaries in an interesting way,” says Karin Annerwall Parö at Sweco. ”Our aim was to highlight energy and environmental issues from a wide perspective. We questioned old truths in passive house design in Sweden to spur a creative discussion about how to save energy in the construction sector,” say the prizewinners. The jury’s motivation states among other things that “John and Mikael’s thesis project demonstrates the potential for energy-efficient building to make a breakthrough in the market.” Sweco’s Student Prize will be awarded at an inspiration day for sustainability at Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm on 17 November. The prize will be presented by ESA astronaut Christer Fuglesang and Professor Maria Nyström. The year’s jury consists of: Carl-Erik Nyquist, Jury Chairman, Karin Annerwall Parö, Sweco, Tomas Kåberger, Director General of the Swedish Energy Agency, Lars Nilsson, Editor in Chief of Ny Teknik, Louise Trygg, Researcher in Linköping, Lennart Jagemar, Associate Professor of Building Services Engineering, Per Fahlén, Professor of Building Services Engineering and Lars Olof Matsson, Jury Secretary, Sweco.