01 December 2013
The first house in the world to supply its own energy with unique
“bioskin” through the cultivation of micro-algae is being presented at
the International Building Exhibition IBA Hamburg in Germany.
As a part of the International Building Exhibition IBA Hamburg, the
Bio Intelligent Quotient (BIQ) House is the world’s first building to
have a bioreactor façade. The façade of the five-story BIQ House
comprises a vertical algae farm with an integrated bioreactor, turning
the building into a Plus Energy House. This weekend, the house became
fully operational as the glass façade was filled with liquid biomass.
From now on, microalgae will be cultivated in 129 transparent glass
panels, individually measuring 2.5 x 0.7 meters, which make up its
“bioskin.” While these panels are used to produce energy, they also
regulate light and provide shade. The combination of energy-saving algae
and geothermal and solar energy will generate more energy than the
residents of the house will consume.
“The BIQ House makes the district of Wilhelmsburg, the biggest urban
river island in the heart of Hamburg, more sustainable,” said Uli
Hellweg, managing director of the IBA. “From now on, the microalgae on
the façade will be supplying renewable energy for the building’s
residents and the surrounding district. We know that about one-third of
CO2 emissions are produced by households. Because
of that, this innovative approach of sustainable urban living is an
important signal for building construction in times of climate change.
The BIQ House is part of a cluster of different energy projects launched
by the IBA that will help to make Wilhelmsburg the most
climate-friendly district in Hamburg within this year. Within the next
four decades, the district of Wilhelmsburg with more than 50,000
inhabitants could become completely carbon-neutral.”
Cycles of Solar Energy
With its holistic energy concept, the BIQ building
is setting new standards: it draws all of the energy needed to generate
electricity and heat from renewable sources—fossil fuels are not
required. The building is able to generate energy using the algae
biomass harvested from its own façade. Moreover, the façade collects
energy by absorbing the light that is not used by the algae and heat
generation, similar to a solar thermal unit, and is then either used
directly for hot water and heating, or can be cached for later use in
the ground using borehole heat exchangers—80 meter-deep holes filled
with brine. This remarkably sustainable energy concept is thus capable
of creating a cycle of solar and geothermal energy, while also
integrating a condensing boiler, local heat and the capture of biomass
using the bioreactor façade.
Multifunctional Façades
The BIQ building shows that, in future, façades
will be able to serve a number of different functions, and be much more
than an aesthetic cladding to protect against the elements. While the
northeast and northwest sides of the building have an elaborately
decorated shell to draw the eye, the algae within the southwest and
southeast façades produce biomass for renewable energy. In addition, the
façade also serves the more conventional purposes of insulating the
building from sound, heat and cold, and provides shade in bright
sunlight. But the house will also offer residents a new approach to life
using visionary spatial concepts. Individually controlled rooms will
make it possible to switch functions and components on and off on
demand.
IBA: Models for Climate-Friendly Urban Development
On Europe’s biggest urban river islands,
Wilhelmsburg and Veddel, the International Building Exhibition IBA
Hamburg is currently showcasing future modes of living, working and
learning. In 2013, the IBA’s presentation year, more than 60 projects
are displaying innovative approaches for the city of the future.
Additional topics include ideas for future energy supply and ways of
addressing the challenges posed by climate change. Right beside the new
Inselpark, on the international garden show premises, the “Building
Exhibition within the Building Exhibition” opened its gates on March 23.
This key IBA project in Wilhelmsburg Central showcases the future of
building and living, with smart buildings constructed of “intelligent”
and regenerative building materials—such as the BIQ House with its
energy-supplying algae façade or the Energy Bunker, a former flak
bunker, now a flagship for renewable energy.
Hamburg: Hotspot for Green Techs, Renewable Energies
Hamburg is combining environmental protection with
economic growth. Projects such as the International Building Exhibition
IBA Hamburg exhibit the potential of green technologies for companies
and residents alike. Hamburg has the potential to successfully implement
the energy transition, meet ambitious climate targets and create
additional jobs. This is also owing to the strength of the city’s
companies and research facilities in the field of green technology.
According to a 2012 survey of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce and
Industry, there are approximately 1,980 green technology companies in
Hamburg with around 33,400 employees. These companies are active in the
core fields of power generation, green building, water, recycling and
waste management, financing and insurance, energy services, as well as
mobility and logistics. The estimated sales volume for 2012 amounted to
approximately €10.66 billion.
Best Regards to
No comments:
Post a Comment