I have found three interesting case studies where algae is use to produce biofuel on site and offset the building's grid energy use.
One example is the BIQ building in Hamburg, Germany.
This building incorporates custom designed algae shading panels in its facade.
"The algae are continuously supplied with liquid nutrients and carbon
dioxide via a separate water circuit running through the façade. With
the aid of sunlight, the algae can photosynthesise and multiply in a
regular cycle until they can be harvested. They are then batch separated
and transferred as a thick pulp to the technical room of the BIQ. There
they are fermented in an external biogas plant, so that they can be
used again to generate biogas."
The algea panels double as solar hot water collectors and supply heat and hot water for the rest of the building.
The second example I have found is an un-built winning competition entry by HOK / Vanderweil in response to Metropolis magazine's Next Generation Design Competition in 2011.
The design proposes net-zero energy renovations for an old federal building in Los Angeles.
One of the key elements of the green retrofit was the building's innovative algae growing sking.
"The design team’s breakthrough idea, believed to be an architectural
first, uses energy-producing microalgae to help power the building. The
biomimetic-inspired design proposes a 25,000-square-foot microalgae
bioreactor system that generates 9 percent of the renovated federal
building’s power supply. A modular system of algae tubes wraps the
building and absorbs the sun’s radiation to produce lipids for fuel
production on-site, simultaneously shading interior office spaces. This
photobioreactor transforms the building into a living entity."
The third case study is a competition entry for the design of the German Pavillion, named "Biolosophy", for the Milan EXPO 2015.
The building utilizes a structural system made of steel, concrete and acrylic glass used for growing algae, which can then be pressed for biofuel or consumed by the visitors.
The structure is a living cell and an educational center for the public.
"We already have the technology for growing algae, decreasing CO2 through
algae cultivation and producing healthy algae-food, so why not use it
in a modern building?"
One example is the BIQ building in Hamburg, Germany.
This building incorporates custom designed algae shading panels in its facade.
The algea panels double as solar hot water collectors and supply heat and hot water for the rest of the building.The second example I have found is an un-built winning competition entry by HOK / Vanderweil in response to Metropolis magazine's Next Generation Design Competition in 2011.
The design proposes net-zero energy renovations for an old federal building in Los Angeles.
One of the key elements of the green retrofit was the building's innovative algae growing sking.
"The design team’s breakthrough idea, believed to be an architectural
first, uses energy-producing microalgae to help power the building. The
biomimetic-inspired design proposes a 25,000-square-foot microalgae
bioreactor system that generates 9 percent of the renovated federal
building’s power supply. A modular system of algae tubes wraps the
building and absorbs the sun’s radiation to produce lipids for fuel
production on-site, simultaneously shading interior office spaces. This
photobioreactor transforms the building into a living entity."The third case study is a competition entry for the design of the German Pavillion, named "Biolosophy", for the Milan EXPO 2015.
The building utilizes a structural system made of steel, concrete and acrylic glass used for growing algae, which can then be pressed for biofuel or consumed by the visitors.
The structure is a living cell and an educational center for the public.
Anna,
ReplyDeleteVery intriguing projects. I find the unbuilt projects more interesting.
There are a couple of challenges using a solar powered system on this site, both having to do with how much energy you can capture.
The first challenge is the fact that the site will be in shadow a couple of hours every day, thanks to the two towers nearby. It will be important to get a sense of how much energy falls on the site quickly. On Thursday I'll cover how to predict the position of the sun for a given time of day and year (although you may already know how to do this). You may have enough energy to make the system viable, but it will be something you'll have to show.
The other challenge is the limited south facade on the building. The building is four times deeper than it is wide. An interesting question will be how to deploy this sytem deeper into the building, so it is not just something applied to the front. How can you make the use of the system integral to the spatial experience?
-William