For its first flagship project, the Smart Living Lab decided to participate in the Solar Decathlon 2017, an international competition where teams present their own sustainable housing concepts. EPFL, HEIA-FR, and UNIFR combined their skills with Geneva’s HEAD to create the Swiss team. The Swiss team won this prestigious competition with its solar house, the NeighborHub. The Swiss Living Challenge involved 4 schools, 250 students, 150 supervisors from the professional and academic sectors, and close to 50 sponsors. It culminated in the Swiss team achieving the top award with the NeighborHub solar housing concept. This unique experience was not just a major victory; it was also an unforgettable and educational human adventure that brought Fribourg to the forefront of the international academic landscape.