SMEF’s Brick School of Architecture Shines at Solar Decathlon India 2023, Unveiling Student Innovators Advancing Sustainable Design Solutions

Solar Decathlon India, a prestigious competition showcasing sustainable design solutions, announced the winners for the Net Zero competition 2023 on May 27th, 2023. This years event, held at Infosys in Mysore, witnessed the participation of 83 student teams from Indian institutions, competing across six categories to combat Climate Change through the buildings sector.

Proud students of SMEFs Brick School of Architecture, Pune

Among the remarkable achievements of this years Solar Decathlon India, two exceptional teams demonstrated their prowess in designing net-zero-energy-water, affordable, and resilient solutions. Team Samakrut emerged as winners in the community resilience shelter category, while Team LENS secured the first runners-up position in the Educational Building category.

The triumph of Team Samakrut was the result of a collaborative effort by a diverse group of students from SMEFs Brick School of Architecture, Vishwakarma Institute of Information Technology, and project partners Karunar Kheti Trust and URVEE Public Trust. The team was also supported by industry partners VK:e environmental Pune.

Led by Dr. Poorva Keskar, Principal of SMEFs Brick School of Architecture, the initiative aimed to foster radical thinking and build a culture of innovation. The dedicated team of faculties, led by Ar. Vinita Lulla and Ar. Shreya Mirpagar, along with the support of Ms. Sharvari Rajwaday, worked tirelessly to achieve this commendable feat. Their efforts were further bolstered by the consistent belief and support of the Founder Director, Dr. Pooja Misal, and Vice-Principal Ar. Manali Deshmukh.

Team Samakrut, comprised of talented architecture and engineering students, including Atharva Shinde, Neha Patil, Stuti Bhagwat, Aanchal Mugdiya, Akshita Sathe, Ashutosh Gaware, Atharva Vanjari, Vaishnawi Hunachagi, Komal Kondalkar, Kunal Chougule, Parth Sable, and engineering student Hrugwed Hirve, displayed exceptional expertise in the community resilience shelter category.

Similarly, Team LENS, consisting of visionary architecture students Vishal Dayani, Akshita Rathi, Khushi Lothe, Shivani Gautam, Shreya Bhide, Simran Sond, Saurabh Sahane, Riya Manwatkar, Keshav Agrawal, Vanshika Parikh, Vaishnav Vinod, and engineering student Omkar Joshi, demonstrated their exceptional skills in the Educational Building category.

Solar Decathlon India 2023 showcased the ingenuity and dedication of Indias future architects and engineers in creating sustainable solutions for a better tomorrow. The event not only celebrated their achievements but also encouraged the wider adoption of net-zero design principles.