LOCAL IDENTITY—EXPLORING A FORGOTTEN RESOURCE

Sustainability is nothing other than the rigorous use of common sense. In a context where technology promises to domesticate any environment and make any design possible at any price, with no regard for the place, Transsolar takes a step back in the search for local strategies that use available resources more efficiently.
However, this way of thinking is not romantic or “antiprogress.” It is about putting the most sophisticated engineering to work at the behest of common sense.
To achieve this, Transsolar makes use of a basic hypothesis: The use of local knowledge and resources in the design process yields energy savings in the broad sense of the term.
Their design strategies pursue efficiency by channeling the forces of nature instead of opposing them. Can a forest be an alternative to HVAC in terms of thermal performance?
The systematic evaluation of all environmental variables and the rigorous scientific verification of the consequences of design decisions allows for a comparison of local knowledge with “foreign” technology and “levels the playing field.”
Transsolar has put design and precise engineering at the service of common sense, showing that it is able to solve the most complex problems. In addition, Transsolar has used technology to verify and strengthen local knowledge, turning it into a powerful ally that values the identity of a specific building, neighborhood, or city.