Sustainability - the core of VELUX weekend in La Rochelle

Two events highlighting sustainable behaviour will celebrate talent, courage, and determination under the umbrella of Sustainable Living – the race start of VELUX 5 OCEANS and the International VELUX Award for Students of Architecture.

For the VELUX Group, Sustainable Living means three things - the buildings of the future must have a good indoor climate with plenty of daylight and fresh air, they must be energy efficient and they must utilise renewable energy sources. The buildings of the future must be carbon-neutral and form the best possible envelope for human life. Sustainable Living will bring to an end the kind of buildings people get sick from living and working in, developing asthma and depression.

The VELUX Group wishes to herald a new era when homes will be flooded with daylight and natural ventilation; a new age when the home itself will have minimal impact on the climate. This can be achieved by using the surface of the roof to harness the free and unlimited energy of the sun so that the building itself produces energy – even more than it uses.

The need to combat climate change is more urgent than ever. Buildings account for 40% of all energy consumption in Europe. So they constitute a huge potential for reducing CO2 emissions. This calls for innovation and courage to challenge conventional thinking and push back boundaries, to transcend seemingly impassable limits in the pursuit of excellence," says VELUX Group CEO Jørgen Tang-Jensen.

"This is precisely what the events of this weekend are all about: Young students who have the courage and curiosity to explore possibilities in the light of tomorrow and discover new ways of working with daylight in architecture. Skippers who have the determination and daring to take on the elements, sail single-handed around the world and take the message of sustainability around the globe."

The scope of the weekend's events is truly global. Architect students from 85 countries will contend in the International VELUX Award - the winners, their teachers, and the international jury will all be present for the Award event in La Rochelle on 16 October. Eight skippers will leave the port of La Rochelle on 17 October to circumnavigate the planet calling at five continents in the ultimate solo challenge of VELUX 5 Oceans. As a very visible focal point of the events in La Rochelle will be the VELUX House. Built for COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009, the VELUX House will be on display on the quayside and serve as a meeting point and demonstration house, showcasing the VELUX approach to Sustainable Living.

About the VELUX Group
The VELUX Group creates better living environments with daylight and fresh air through the roof. The VELUX product programme contains a wide range of roof windows and skylights, along with solutions for flat roofs. The Group also supplies many types of decoration and sun screening, roller shutters, installation products, products for remote control and thermal solar panels for installation in roofs. The VELUX Group, which has manufacturing companies in 11 countries and sales companies in just under 40 countries, represents one of the strongest brands in the global building materials sector and its products are sold in most parts of the world. The VELUX Group has about 10,000 employees and is owned by VKR Holding A/S, a limited company wholly owned by foundations and family. For more details, visit www.velux.com