The Energy Proposal

The energy proposal The Ecotopia City of Future Scotland The Granite City will fall With the collapse of fossil-fueled capitalism.

The Ecotopia City will open again With the rise of renewable energ y & possibilities.

For the hatred of oil wealth leading to political poverty.

For putting an end to the age of carbon democracy.

For declaring a climate crisis and a change in political framework.

For clean energ y power human beings daily lives.

For energ y actually becoming the currency.

For creating a low carbon & self-sustaining future of mankind.

The Energy Proposal is a radical tale of green energy city futures, advocating a change in public consciousness about climate crisis, as well as on the political, economical and cultural sides. Started off as a critique of capitalism and globalisation of the public sphere: privatisation of cities, deregulation of the corporate sector and lower corporate taxation, paid for with cuts to public spending — are each fundamentally in conflict with climate movement and of our economic model.

Using architecture as a tool of critique of the global scenario, the genesis of the energy proposal of ecological capitalism is a representation and reconstitution of reality, engaged in the project aims to speculate on alternative solutions with a forward attitude to provoke climate awareness in the future of architecture discourse.

Set in a scenario of not-too-distant future in 2060 where the sustainable development of Scotland is reassessed along with visions for utopia, the project speculates the fall of the fossil fuel industry, with the rise of renewable sources and productions that births a brand new economic model of ‘Energy as Currency’, shifting the socio-economic and political paradigm utterly.

As a response to the future needs that focuses on emissions reduction, a wide range of scale of architectural interventions are executed throughout Ecotopia city, which comprises a masterplan proposal, eco-housing scheme and an energy headquarter, permeating from the heart of Aberdeen harbour. The project aspires to transform socio-economic relations by promoting a low carbon lifestyle, industrial and economic growth that encourages the utilising, sharing and exchanging renewables and clean energy for the betterment of Scottish nation.

Capitalism VS climate

W

e live in a world where ideals of human circulates around the concept of being individualistic and property-based, 1 persists under capitalism. Although capitalism moves and energizes the modern world, however still, what capitalism values, our world does more of; what it doesn’t, we do less of it. 2 By posing climate change as a battle between capitalism and the planet, capitalism is now winning hands down. However the challenge is that we need to think differently, radically differently, for those changes to be remotely possible.

“As leaders, we have respponsibilies to fully articulate the risks our people face. If the politics are not favourable to speaking truthfully, then clearly we must devote more energ y to changing the politics.” 3 So the question is: in a system where capitalism is a prime determinant of value, how can we preserve what we truly value as humans, what matters to us beyond money? How can architecture play its role in the political and socio-economical debate?

Can greed ever be green?

Slash-and-burn approach to deforest land for agriculture and effects of climate change and global warming due to unusually longer dry season and above average temperatures occurring in the Amazon rainforest.

Historical Timeline: Climate Change & Movement

Australia is being ravaged by the worst wildfires seen in decades, with large swaths of the country devastated since the fire season began in late July.

JUNE 30, 1988

“No single individual, no event, no movement captured imaginations or

JUNE, 2019 - PRESENT

GLOBAL TEMPERATURE

2018

dominated headlines more, than the clump of rock and soil and water and air that is our common home.”

2019

Time Magazine announced their 1988 “Man of the Year”, as well as “Planet of the Year: Endangered Earth”.

1992

If the climate movement had a birthday, a moment when the issue pierced the public consciousness and could no longer be ignored, it would have to be

World Conference on the Changing Atmosphere in Toronto where the first emission reduction is discussed.

1997

The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) reported on environmental pollution to U.S President Lyndon B. Johnson cautions that the accumulation of atmospheric carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels would “almost certainly cause significant changes” to the environment.

1988

1950

1965

AUGUST 15 TO 22

Latest Annual Average Anomaly: 2018

0.82 °C1.48 °F

JUNE 23, 1988 By the late 1950s scientific breakthroughs demonstrating that burning carbon could be warming the planet.

It wasn’t until James Hansen, the director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, testified that global warming became the stuff of chat shows and political speeches.

Data source: NASA/GISS Credit: NASA Scientific Visualization

Data source: NASA/GISS Credit: NASA Scientific Visualization

Studio

Studio

1950

1988

Governments met for the first UN Earth Summit in Rio, where they signed the UNFCCC, the document that formed the basis for all future climate negotiations.

Data source: NASA/GISS Credit: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio

The Kyoto Protocol is adopted, containing the first binding emission reduction targets.

2018

The rise & fall of granite city

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P

opulation growth further increases global energy demand. So begins the text of the UK Continental Shelf Act that allowed seismic exploration within the North sea areas near Aberdeen waters, an act that contributed in the long and proud history of the UK offshore oil and gas indusrty since the 1970s. While offshore production became a more attractive prospect eversince, human certainly aware of the appalling harm of excessive use of fossil fuels. Yet, the convenience and profit is immensely irresistible in the capitalist society.

The satirical juxtaposition of reality where Scotland has been facing up to this inconvenient truth and is continually dedicated to finding better ways to power the modern society in a more environmentally-friendly and sustainable way over the years. With its world-leading innovation in both sicence and techonolgy, Scotland is at the forefront of renewable energies with an estimated 25% of Europe’s total offshore wind and tidal resources and around 60 percent of the UK’s onshore wind capacity. This renewable energy is worth nearly 6 billion pounds annually to the Scottish economy—and green electricity exports are rising every year.

Simply put, the world have been facing an accelerating global ecological and climate crisis, how can one nation go further in embracing and re-inventing alternative energy sources? What if oil and gas is running-out in the next 20 or 30 years? With the declaration of global climate emergency, the project is a civilisational wake-up call for a shift that challenges not only capitalism itslef, but also a mentality some call ‘extractivisms’. As a critique of the collapse of fossil-fueled capitalism, the project envisions post-oil and gas imaginaries putting an end to the age of carbon democracy.

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SITE OPTION 2 Adpative reuse of oil rig sturcture rather than decomissioning it, to be used as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) platforms.

SITE OPTION 1 (Selected) The harbour’s oil and gas tanks and platforms which provides maintenance and logistics services to the oil field industry, could be readapted when the fossil fuel is running out.

Erected on a plot of the former fish industry, the dock is currently dominated by oil & gas fields with refinery tanks and concrete platforms, mainly providing maintenance and logistics services serving the industry.

DESIGNED COMMUNICATION MAST

STABILITY ASSESSMENT AND WAVE IMPACT STUDY

The project is a framework of urban regeneration of former fossil fuel amenities and industrial relics transformed into a proposal of a series of low energy architectural interventions and development that gives back or mutiply the green taken away for the benefites of the people of Aberdeen.

FEASIBILITY STUDY - OUTSIDE OF BREAKWATER FOR ARMOURING

DIVE INSPECTIONS AND REPAIRS TO NORTH PIER MARINE OPERATIONS CENTRE - STRUCTURAL DESIGN

REFURBISHMENT OF OLD ROUND HOUSE DESIGNED CHANNEL WIDENING AND DREDGING OF HARBOUR

BUND REFURBISHMENT

TELFORD DOCK

SEA CARGO SHED

MATTHEW ’S QUAY - RO-RO FACILITY

BLAIKIES QUAY; ANOID INSTALLATION, MAST, SHED & YARD

CALEDONINAN OIL SHED

DESIGN OF POCRA QUAY

DESIGN AND REBUILD OF MEARNS QUAY

SEA CARGO SHED

SEA CARGO SHED

STREAMLINE SHIPPING LTD

MOVED LEADING LIGHT

SITE

ASCO UK SHED

BP SHED TORRY QUAY

PALMERSTON QUAY - EMERGENCY STABILISATION AND RECONSTRUCTION

“COW CATCHER” - REDESIGN OF MECHANISM TO CATCH RIVER DEBRIS

BUND WALL

EE RD

RIVE

REFURBISHMENT OF FISH MARKET

PALMERSTON QUAY - EMERGENCY STABILISATION AND RECONSTRUCTION

M a r c h o f d e s pa i r

Barrels and barrels of fossil fuels has thrust human greed even further over the dacades. The visual depicts a scenario of ravaged ‘extractivism’ of fossil fuels as human succumbed to greed has led to global catastrophe that cannot be undone.

T h e r e n e wa l c i t y

The proliferation of renewable revolution will ultimately bring about a happy, self-sustaining, green energy-based city, whereas the free-trade system is immensely declined. A greater energy efficiency, more renewable energy is the perfect solution to green city, reducing carbon emissions further.

s h i f t i n g pa r a d i g m

t r a n s f i g u r at i o n

Oil majors such as Shell, BP, Statoil, ExxonMobile etc are slowly shifting to renewables businesses as they have quickly come to realise its sustainability, moving away from extraction to renewal, strategically shifting to renewables businesses.

The rise of renewables has caused offshore wind farm to predominating the North Sea. Contrarily, oil and gas fields is coming to the end of their lifespan, thus they must be decommissioned someday. The visual illustrates the irony of possible re-utilisation of oil rigs to cater renewables and to decarbonising.

The renewable energy revolution has upped the pace recently.

In 2019, renewable electricity overtook fossil fuels for the first time since the industrial revolution.

For instance, carbon produced will be captured and pumped into the earth via existing pipelines and rigs - Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Vessels could also be reused as agriculture transportation from offshore to mainland and transport carbon for CSC.

C r yp t o cu r r en cy

E LE ME N TAL

T I M E LESS

U N I V E RSAL

The project sets out a narrative where the future society adopt an alternative idealistic mode of currency - energy based currency.

en er g y a s cu r r e nc y The idea of energy currency stems from the model of cryptocurrency (e.g. Bitcoin) and an energy backed currency proposal (DeKo).

It represents kilowatt hours delivered, a unit of work of energy. It represents the physical processes or the assets of the real world, the value of work already done as well as the potential of work which can be done.

b u i l d i ng a s c e nari o / [re]imagining an Ecological energy city futures of Scotland where Energy Dollar becomes the measure of day to day life of the people.

u rb an s t r at e g i es o f e c o t o pi a ci ty Smart grid system is introduced as an urban strategy in Aberdeen.

Renewable sources such as wind and solar power that is tapping into the National Grid, is difficult to control how much the enrgy they produced due to its intermittency chracteristics, hence other power plants are still needed. However between those who consume, produce and transport energy,

the two-way interactional feature of the smart grid system will enable us all to rely on energy to be there when we need it.

With the smart meter that allows access to a granular view of their consumption, consumers and businesses can make more informed decisions as to how they can manage their energy more effectively. In turn, their suppliers can then manage the energy they offer more effectively which makes the National Grid as a whole more reliable.

devis ing the energy & climat e paln

u rban i nterv en ti o n s With the implementation of smart grid system, the urban fabric is connected more effectively to the wider infrastructure.

Tapping into the national grid, the urban amenities are reinvented with new innovation and technology to support demand for energy.

e ne rgyapp i nt e rfac e

project timeline Fossil Fuel Industry Renewables Industry

2020

2050

2060

2080

2100

OPTION 1

RECREATIONAL PARK

ECO-VILLAGE

ENERGY PARK

ENERGY HARVESTING & AGRICULTURE FARM

ENERGY HQ

energy doll ar in cons truction man agemen t

pro j e c t ph a si n g & ti me li n e

For a century, we have adopted the project mangement triangle – time, cost and quality in the field of construction and mangement that has proven little or no environmental concern nor consciousness, which made us the culprits of ecological disaster.

In line with the Green Overlay to the RIBA Outline Plan of Work, the illustration on the left is a reflection of the integration of sustainablility aspect in the design process in order to meet the RIBA 2030 Climate Change Targets.

As a continuous reflection of the thesis project in which Energy Dollars is introduced, the aspect of ‘Energy’ is added into the Plan of Work from early design towards construction, hence the spending of Energy is straightforwardly binding the Cost as both thereof act as one entity.

This is to inform and liberate the parodox of fellow architetcs of all time of ‘energy’ aspect within the context of future practice in the Construction Industry that will bring about positive change to our future environment.

s i t e st u dy & r e s e a r ch

mas s ing exp lor ation

p roject s tructure & s tak ehold ers

OPTION 1

Clientele

Pros: - Great views for residents.

- Easy accessibility to workplace from primary road.

- Large public realm / central park with views beyond the seascape.

Pros: The chosen site is on a strategic plot of land, overlooking the picturesque harbour with stunning views and accessible train lines nearby.

Cons: The existing site is a heavily industrialise. Hence, the urban strategy implemented seeks to regenerate and create a green belt along the River Dee, to revitalize the area by creating a public realm for urban dwellers.

Aberdeen City Council Government Body

Cons: - Big chunk of massing of public building blocks the views of the entire plot from the primary road.

- Central park becomes a private entity for the residents.

- No privacy for housing if central park is open to public access.

Aberdeen Harbour Trust Board

International Renewable Energy Agency

+

Independent Statutory Body

Renewables Companies

OPTION 2 - (selected) E.ON British Gas

Pros: - Clear seperation between central park, housing and public building.

- Central park provides privacy and and buffer for the plot.

- Great views for residents.

- Big chunk of massing of the public building/headquartes forms a landmark at the harbour.

Pros: The site has a close proximity to the commercial and residential areas. Hence, the proposed programme shall be relevant to the benefits and interest of the public.

Cons: The site is segregated by a primary road which disallowed public access to the hrabour due to its current functionality.

Cons: - Compromised privacy for housing due to public access to workplace.

Scottish Power Royal Dutch Shell Total | BP

Central Park

EcoVillage

Energy Headquater

Generator + Agriculture

Local Public

Visitors

Village Community

Working Class

OPTION 3

Water Transportation

Potential Site / Masterplan

Central

High Street

Residential

Commercial

Cons: The site is a concrete platform and terminal, hence huge intervention is required for future planning. Coastal protection like conrete tribars and harbour extensions can be considered.

+ Point of Interest

Pros: Pedestrian walkways and cycling tracks are re-designed to allow public accessibility to the site. Waterways could be an alternative option for future transportation.

Pros: - Protected housing enclave.

- Green spine creates a neighborhood living for residents.

- Great privacy and views for residents.

Cons: - Big chunk of massing of public building blocks the views of the entire plot from the primary road.

- Privatisation of housing that disallowed public access.

- No central park or public realm.

End-user Groups

Ii Existing Site Activities

Built Structures Either they will be preserved, reused and integrated in the future development if they are in decent condition, or, be demolished and replaced by new ones.

Does the activity needs to be relocated, or remain on site, with new development to be adapted to existing and its safety distance?

Contamination of Soil

Infrastructure

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Iii

Is the quality of theIroads and I public utilities like water and sewage system good Ii enough to Ii be preserved and reused?

It affects the configuration of the phytoremediation park, due to the variating levels of contamination and the techniques that are used for each part, which in turn affects the future development of the site.

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Iii I

I

Ii

Division of plots & development phases Depending on the level of contamination of soil, divided into three levels; low(5 years), medium(5-20 years), and high (2030 years).

Streamlining the cleaning process The entire park will not necessarily be developed at once, but can be incrementally developed depending on the conditions of the site.

p r o j e ct s pe ci f i c p r ecept s o f su sta i n a b le d e si gn

Iii I

I

Iii

Ii

p l ants s ele ct ion

Ii Replenish natural, physical, social, cultural and economic resources

Use renewable energy Innovative technologies using renewable sources and smart grid system

Regeneration of urban fabric, use and form through adaptive reuse

Transform waste into new resources Provide access to green space/ greenery and water views

Project architectural approach

Project architectural approach Resource transportation options to and from the site

Stage 3: Developemt (Clean soil)

ph y t o r em ed i at i o n me th o d Project Nature:

Method:

Site Challenge:

Reuse and redevelopment of brownfield site in ports/ waterfront

Site Remediation

Site contamination due to prior industrial landuse – docks and oil & gas industry

Stage 1: Feasibility Study Stage 2: Remediation Works

Method 1: Natural Attenuation

Method 2: ‘Dig-and-dump’ method

Method 3: In-situ oxidation & Soil vapour extraction method

Stage 2: Phytoremediation (natural sanitation of soil)

Stage 1: Industry (Contaminated Soil) Current Site

ca s e s t u ud dies Landscape Park Duisburg-Nord, Germany

De Ceuvel phytoremediation park, Amsterdam

t h e mo d e l o f s usta i na ble re d e v e l o pm e nt o f b r o wnf i eld si te With the decline of the oil majors, the landuse of the site undergoes changes in the near future with industrial zones undergoing redevelopment around them for environmental and security reasons. The social and economic value of waterfront areas is higher when held in the public realm rather than devoted to the current private industrial purposes.

Preserve and reutilize most of the existing structures with the integration of vegetation such as poplar and black locust are used for phytoremediation.

Also, sewage canal that floats through the area cleans the site through filtering of contaminants in the water.

A good example on how to temporarily utilize a brownfield site until future development, while at the same time remediating the contaminated site.

Abandonment and economic dormancy of the site at first to allow bacteria naturally present in soil slowly break down contaminants in soil over a couple of years.

This includes active replanting of selective vegetation to assist the attenuation process.

The Ecotopia City Lifestyle Green and unsettling nature often overpowering the cityscape.

The main streets, on which electrical taxis, busses and cars purr along has shrunk to a two-lane affair. The remaining space is huge, designed for bicycle lanes, sculptures, sublime trees, kiosks and absurd little gardens surrounded by benches. Oh, and they have just reintroduced the water bus transportation system - the model itself kind of mimicking the San-Francisco cable cars, but operates by magnetic suspensions and propulsion.

Strangely the people here just love plants a lot and their sentimentality about nature has led them to like spending most of their time outdoor.

While people insist on working for only 6 hours a day, the sports gardens here fulfil all workers recreational needs.

The rest of the day people spend on exercising, chit-chatting with anyone, chilling in a park setting, or hang out in the bar for a pint.

Walkway & Cycling Path

EV Charging Carpark

EV Street Light

Water Bus

Sports Courts

Outdoor Lounge

The Eco-housing Village

With the eco housing scheme as a synthesis of current thinking on sustainable human settlements in an urban context, they are constantly evolving sustainable models used as a learning or testing ground.

Here, green systems and technologies become the integral part of human lives.

The residents’ generosity and kind souls in contributing their part and sharing of energy and crops harnessed together will be unprecedented into creating a self-sustaining and low-carbon lifestyle neighbourhood.

Aquaponic

Housing Type 1

Housing Type 2

Elevated Pathway

Walkway & Cycling Path

Floating Treatment Wetland

s us tainable eco-hous ing p rot ot y p e

surge tank

grey water storage tank

course filter

irrigation system

pump

grease trap

aquaponics UV disinfection

seasonal growing bed

inspection box

clean water storage tank

‘duck weed’ sediment tank

sump tank

fish tank / pond

sedimentation tank

septic tank

evapotranspiration bed system

aquaponics NFT + NFT +

WT

NFT +

fish pond hot water clean water grey water

gre e n i s l i f e . l i f e i s g r een

black water

Architecture is no longer being just a shelter, but to house nature and gre en technologies. And growing your own crops have just become the new norm!

reed filtration system

Having the living spaces kept at minimal, the ro oftop space houses gre en systems such as aquaponic, greywater harvesting & managemnt system, filtration tanks and boilers powered by solar panels.

The Energy Park

The former oil tanks are repurposed into composting chambers catered for the housing scheme to treat black water.

The edges of the park stood containers rather like meteorological pavilions serve as climate modulators to sooth the environment when needed.

At the top of the vertical farming production blocks are some CO2 extractors and vertical axis wind turbines, spread across the masterplan proposal.

Composting Chambers

Vertical Farming

Meteorological Pavilion

Adaptive Reuse Installation

Elevated Walkway

Central Axis

1. Oil Tanks Decommisioning

2. Site Remediation

3. Programme Massing

4. Verticality

5. Green Features Integration

6. Connectivity

The energy h ead qu art ers

Broa dca st Tower C on f e re n c e Ha l l

En er g y Mark e t

Fo r um T h e a t re

Fu n c t i on Ha l l

Office Towe r

The rise of renewable energy and the new model of economy of ‘Energy as Currency’ is a revolutionary movement that causes a shift in paradigm in the socio-ecnonomical and political discourses. The proposed energy HQ is ne eded to kickstart the new establishment and to house new facilities to govern the new system implemented.

The energy h ead qu art ers

the e n e r g y

m a r k e t

In the capitalist society, stock market, or known as equity market or share market is a place of stock exchange betwe en buyers and sellers which represent ownership claims and shares of private businesses.

By critically analysing the typology of ‘stock exchange’ worldwide, the proposed energy market is a distinctive place that serves as an energy informative hub where people could get an idea obout energy shares and infrastructures.

Marrying the idea of landscaping at the ground spaces, the EM act as a communal ground where local communities could casually me et and mingle or simply enjoy being there.

By incorporating nature into built environments, the spatial experience inside the energy market is rather informal, with the central projection and rest of spatial functions designed to blend with landscaping; powered by high-tech technologies, but lowtech in the architectural expression. Perhaps it is time to allow nature to take over architecture in time, instead of refraining nature elements from architecture itself.

T he en ergy mark et

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9 e ne rgy mark e t : op er ati o n, l e arni ng & gre e n ex hi bi ti o n

5

The energy market is place for operation of energy trading activities, a future archive for public learning as well as a platform of gre en exhibition showcasing some elvolving gre en systems and technologies as part of the building functions.

3

Rain w ater Catc hment

C onsul t a t i on Pods

1

6

Soc ial Pods

A gents Offi c e

4 3

A rc hi ve

Energ y Re pre se nt a t i ve s

8

In f or mation Ter r ac e

9

operation

Reed Fi l t ra t i on

7

6

learning green exhibition

3

4

5

2

1

7 Fi l t ra t i on Tank s

8

s ect ion

Dock

Forum Theatre

Function Hall

Energy Bank

Garden Bridge

Carbon Removal

VAWT + Fire Escape

Conference Hall

Broadcasting Tower

Office Tower

Energy Market

the c o n f e r e n c e

Parliamet is a space where politics take place and the architecture of spaces of political congregation is not only an abstract expression of political culture, it also shapes the culture. And normally the configuration of a parliament tells a lot about the regime behind the political system, from authoritarian to democrcy.

In the context of an ecological socialism society, the conference houses the congregation of a new government where topics of glocal climate issues being discuss.

The symbolic qualities of architecture is reflected in the circular configuration of the conference as a representation of the significance of democracy and equality, an understanding of history, a commitment to accessibility and a vigorous environmental agenda. There is no chairman but members of parliament with equal voices, creating engaging conversations amongst the public and the press.

internal environment design

I N T E G R AT E D P R O J E C T TECHNOLOGY Due to the scale and complexity of the scheme, the project aims to reflect on the specifies of environment and technology consideratinos in large scale public buildings, in particular in resolving technogical issues and as a whole for comprehensive study of building systems.

GF

1F

2F

3F

4F p l an s

wa t e r s y s t e m

g r e e n f e at u r e s

fire escapes

energy systems