Earlier this year, BD+C reported on a net-zero apartment facility in Hamburg, Germany, that is touted to be the world's first algae-powered building. Arup, the project's lead engineer, recently posted a video on the project. The firm's European Research and Technology Leader, Jan Wurm, PhD, offers a tour of the new building and talks with other members of the façade development team.
Dubbed BIQ house, the building features 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. More on the project.
Click on the image below to watch the five-minute Arup video:
Here are more photos of the project:
Related Stories
| Dec 8, 2014
How brick and mortar enables online retail
According to a shopping preferences study conducted by A.T. Kearney, as many as two-thirds of shoppers go to a physical store before or after making an online purchase, writes Gensler's Jill Nickels.
| Dec 8, 2014
The year’s boldest BIM/VDC themes
High-speed rendering software, custom APIs, virtual reality tools, and BIM workflow tips were among the hottest BIM/VDC topics in 2014.
| Dec 8, 2014
AEC firms upbeat about financial results, 2015 looking rosier [exclusive BD+C survey]
The market outlook is brighter for U.S. architecture, engineering, and construction companies, with a majority of AEC firms reporting higher revenues, strong forecasts, and sound financial health, according to BD+C's annual Market Forecast Survey.
| Dec 8, 2014
The global sanitation crisis leads to 2.5 million deaths every year
When we see the incredible technology being produced by global plumbing manufacturers, it’s hard to conceive why no viable technical solution to the global sanitation issue has come forth, writes BD+C's Robert Cassidy.
| Dec 8, 2014
Moshe Safdie wants to reinvent airports with Jewel Changi Airport addition
A new addition to Singapore's Changi Airport, designed by Moshe Safdie, will feature a waterfall and extensive indoor gardens.
| Dec 6, 2014
Future workplace designs shouldn’t need to favor one generation over another, says CBRE report
A new CBRE survey finds that what Millennials expect and need from offices doesn’t vary drastically from tenured employees.
| Dec 5, 2014
Plotting on the go: 3D-printed mechanical compass can print CAD drawings with high precision
Design student Ken Nakagaki has adapted a device to work with CAD software to replicate digital files on paper.
Sponsored | | Dec 5, 2014
New construction outlook report projects growth in 2015
A new 2015 construction outlook report predicts that total U.S. construction starts for 2015 will rise 9% to $612 billion. SPONSORED CONTENT
Sponsored | | Dec 5, 2014
Best practices for force transfer around openings
As wood-frame construction is continuously evolving, designers in many parts of the U.S. are optimizing design solutions that require the understanding of force transfer between elements in the lateral load-resisting system.
