The world’s first building to be powered by algae will open next week as part of a demonstration project for future cities taking place in Hamburg.
The building, called BIQ, is the first building in the world to have a bioreactor facade. Micro-algae are cultivated in the glass elements that make up its “bio skin”. These are used to produce energy, and can also control light and provide shade. Inside, an innovative living concept is aimed at ensuring maximum design versatility for everyday life, and gives us a glimpse into urban life in the future, says the German designer Splitterwerk Architects, which has developed the concept with Arup and Colt International.
To create the algae facade, the building is covered in bio-reactive louvres that enclose the algae. These louvres allow the algae to survive and grow faster than they would otherwise while also providing shade for the interior of the building. Additionally, the bio-reactors trap the heat energy created by the algae, which can then be harvested and used to power the building. Once the building is completed, it will be evaluated by scientists and engineers to allow for future research and adaptation for future building projects.
The building is covered with bio-reactive louvers that enclose the algae
The project is a collaboration between Spitterwerk Architects, Strategic Science Consult of Germany, Arup and Colt International, which is responsible for the louver design. Simon O’Hea, director at Colt, said: “It’s been a very rewarding scheme to be involved in. We have put a lot of work into meeting the technical challenges and we now have a commercial-scale, effective solution that uses live algae as a smart material to deliver renewable energy. You can’t get greener than that.”
Moreover, the facade collects energy by absorbing the light that is not used by the algae and generating heat, like in a solar thermal unit, which is then either used directly for hot water and heating, or can be cached in the ground using borehole heat exchangers – 80 metre-deep holes filled with brine.
The new building is the flagship demonstration project at the IBA or Internationale Bauausstellung (International Building Exhibition). The exhibition takes place in different parts of Germany and constructs live demonstration projects, which provide living laboratories for new technology. The chosen sites for IBA Hamburg – the 8th IBA – are the Elbe Islands between HafenCity and Harburg. The exhibition runs from 23 March to end of November.
