Humans introduce the world's first algae-powered building
The same design and engineer firm that created the Sydney Opera House has completed the world's first algae-powered building, actually surrounding the building with tanks of water and algae to gather sunlight. The energy gathered here powers the entire building.
It's called the Bio Intelligent Quotient (BIQ) building and is part of Germany's push to have a 35 percent national energy reliance on renewables by 2020. The building was funded, heavily, by the German government.
Photo courtesy of IBA Hamburg
Algae is one of the cleanest sources of renewable energy in the world, producing oily lipids and gases that can be transformed into energy and growing at exorbitant rates. The cost effectiveness has emerged in the last decade and people are making serious power out of it.
Here are some awesome shots of the building (interviews in German)
The five story building has wall-tanks that are filled with water and algae. Pressurized air is pumped through, feeding the algae with carbon dioxide and keeping the tanks moving so nothing sticks to the bottom. Scrubbers will clean off any algae found sticking to the glass to make sure enough sunlight gets in to feed the plants.
Algae are regularly taken out of the tank and burned for fuel, using the electricity to power the building. There is often electricity left over, which is sold, given away or stored for later use.
The amazing design keeps the inside of the building cool during the hot summer months.
The designers plan to make the building fully sustainable with the addition of solar.