A demonstration project under way at the International Building Exhibition in Hamburg, Germany, is touted as the world's first algae-powered building. Two sides of the net-zero apartment facility, dubbed BIQ, have a bright green façade consisting of hollow glass panels filled with algae and water. Sunlight makes the algae reproduce, with nutrients and CO2 provided by a network of pipes. The resulting pulp can be harvested periodically and then fermented in an external biogas plant, generating energy. According to the Building Team, the panels also do a good job of insulating the facility. A heat-recovery technology is incorporated in the piping.
The project, set to be completed this month, is a joint venture among Splitterwerk Architects, ARUP, Colt International, and Strategic Science Consult.
(http://www.splitterwerk.at/database/main.php?mode=album&album=2012__Clever_Treefrog&dispsize=512&startsite=1)
Related Stories
| Nov 15, 2013
Halls of ivy keep getting greener and greener
Academic institutions have been testing the limits of energy-conserving technologies, devising new ways to pay for sustainability extras, and extending sustainability to the whole campus.
| Nov 15, 2013
Pedia-Pod: A state-of-the-art pediatric building module
This demonstration pediatric treatment building module is “kid-friendly,” offering a unique and cheerful environment where a child can feel most comfortable.
| Nov 15, 2013
Metal makes its mark on interior spaces
Beyond its long-standing role as a preferred material for a building’s structure and roof, metal is making its mark on interior spaces as well.
| Nov 14, 2013
Fan of Frank Lloyd Wright? Here's your chance to run his architecture school
The Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture has launched a search for a new director. Deadline for applications is January 6, 2014.
| Nov 13, 2013
Government work keeps green AEC firms busy
With the economy picking up, many stalled government contracts are reaching completion and earning their green credentials.
| Nov 13, 2013
First look: Renzo Piano's addition to Louis Kahn's Kimbell Art Museum [slideshow]
The $135 million, 101,130-sf colonnaded pavilion by the famed architect opens later this month.
| Nov 11, 2013
4 trends driving the recovering commercial construction sector
Jones Lang LaSalle research reveals a four-point “new look” for the post-recession construction industry.
| Nov 8, 2013
Oversized healthcare: How did we get here and how do we right-size?
Healthcare facilities, especially our nation's hospitals, have steadily become larger over the past couple of decades. The growth has occurred despite stabilization, and in some markets, a decline in inpatient utilization.
| Nov 8, 2013
Can Big Data help building owners slash op-ex budgets?
Real estate services giant Jones Lang LaSalle set out to answer these questions when it partnered with Pacific Controls to develop IntelliCommand, a 24/7 real-time remote monitoring and control service for its commercial real estate owner clients.
| Nov 8, 2013
S+T buildings embrace 'no excuses' approach to green labs
Some science-design experts once believed high levels of sustainability would be possible only for low-intensity labs in temperate zones. But recent projects prove otherwise.