Los Angeles turns green Algae farming for the purpose of energy efficiency, these and other unusual solutions combine the redevelopment concept, have won with a team of designers from the U.S. offices and HOK Vander Weil competition "Next Generation Design 2011," the magazine's "Metropolis".
Unlike many other competitions, the idea of standards of the "Next Generation Design" competition were very specific: the task was to breathe a 46year-old public administration building in downtown Los Angeles new life. The old building (a building with numerous portrait photographs can be http://www.metropolismag.com/nextgen/ be downloaded) certainly has architectural qualities, but also a most untimely demand for energy. The "Zero Process: Retrofit resolution" of HOK / Vander Weil aims to reduce this demand by 84% and cover the remaining 16% of the building itself with renewable energy.
The biggest chunk of the energy needs of the building, so the analysis of the energy planner, is electricity that is consumed primarily by the IT equipment (40% of requirements) and by electric lighting. The concept is, therefore, the switch here working administrative staff without exception to "cloud computing". The elimination of computer processors at the workstations, the IT-specific power requirements are reduced by 80 percent. In terms of lighting designers rely particularly on the light. Three new large atriums and eight small light wells to bring natural light into 100% of all office areas. This was necessary but also the elimination of internal partitions. The intended typical for America "cubicles" mostly be replaced by open plan offices, to ensure a better distribution of light. In terms of heating and cooling, the new concept is based mainly on more natural ventilation and additional storage mass in the ceiling panels using phase change materials (PCMs ).
To solar energy mainly serve 3,500 square thin-film photovoltaic on the facades and 3000 square solar thermal collectors on the roof. And a third, previously unknown type of energy rather will be tested on the building: Large parts of the facades are clad in glass tubes, in which algae grow in a nutrient solution. The plants use the sun's energy to produce fatty acids that can be burned. 9% are expected to contribute to the remaining energy needs of the building - and make next to a shadow of the office areas. For its draft received HOK / Vander Because a total prize money of 10,000 U.S. dollars, which they want to invest in further research and development activities.
Website of the competition "Next Generation Design 2011" http://www.metropolismag.com/nextgen/ More about Sustainable Buildings DETAIL Green Book "Sustainable Building" More about Retrofitting DETAIL Praxis "Retrofitting"