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World's first microalgae façade goes 'live'

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The world's first full-scale bioreactive façade at the BIQ house in Germany is going 'live' as microalgae are fed into the system for the first time.

The tiny green algae will play a huge role in determining the future potential of this technology, which aims to provide shade and a renewable fuel source for the experimental apartment.

The BIQ house was built as part of this year's International Building Exhibition (IBA) in Hamburg. With 200m² of integrated photo-bioreactors, this innovative passive-energy house generates microalgae biomass and heat as renewable energy resources. At the same time, the system integrates additional functionalities such as dynamic shading, thermal insulation and noise abatement, highlighting the full potential of this technology.

The microalgae used in the facades are cultivated in flat panel glass bioreactors measuring 2,5m x 0,7m. In total, 129 bioreactors have been installed on the south west and south east faces of the four-storey residential building. The heart of the system is the fully automated energy management centre where solar thermal heat and algae are harvested in a closed loop to be stored and then fermented to generate hot water.

Known as "SolarLeaf", this innovative façade system is the result of three years of research and development by Colt International based on a bio-reactor concept developed by SSC Ltd and design work led by the international design consultant and engineering firm, Arup. Funding support came from the German Government's "ZukunftBau" research initiative.

"We've done the research. We've got the units in place. Now as we add the microalgae we will see for the first time how the bioreactor façade operates in a real life situation. It is a test for the technology, but it also represents a huge step forward. If we can demonstrate that microalgae biofaçades can become a viable new source of sustainable energy production, we can transform the urban environment, as well as providing architects with a new source of inspiration."

—Jan Wurm, Arup's Europe Research Leader

The microalgae biofaçade goes live on 25 April 2013 when the technology will be presented in detail to the media and the team will publish comprehensive documentation on the system.

This new system is going to be distributed through Colt International.

Girlsday encourages technical careers

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:30:00 GMT

On Thursday 25 April Arup opens the doors for the annual Girlsday.

A national thematic day celebrated among others in the Netherlands and Germany, it was created to raise young girls' interest in a technical career.

Following the huge success of last year's events, two groups of approximately 15 girls aged 14-17 years old, have been invited to visit the Amsterdam and Berlin offices.

Guided by Arup engineers, the young girls will participate in a brainstorm session and several presentations. They will also take part in workshops, where they can take up structural and lighting design challenges.

Importance of Girlsday

Girlsday is initiated by the government and educational institutes, due to the small amount of girls choosing a technical education. They often don't have a clear picture of technical careers and role models are lacking. By raising awareness early on, the expected shortness of female technicians can be prevented. In the Netherlands, 280 companies are joining and in Germany over 9,000 events are planned.

By sponsoring Girlsday, Arup is underlining the importance of showing the opportunities and chances that technical careers can offer.

More information can be found on: www.girlsday.nl and www.girlsday.de.

Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam reopens

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:00:00 GMT

On 13 April the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam will be reopened by Queen Beatrix, finalising a ten year renovation project.

For the first time in history the 19^th century museum building received a huge transformation as well as the presentation of the collection. The architects Cruz and Ortiz were commissioned to lead the design team responsible for the refurbishment and modification of the Rijksmuseum.

Arup - in joint venture with Royal Haskoning / Van Heugten and DGMR - was subsequently appointed to work on the buildings services and building physics aspects of the renovation, as well as the lighting design of the iconic building, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Amsterdam.

"The architecture of Cruz y Ortiz blends and contrasts with the restored Cuypers masterpiece bringing the Rijksmuseum back to international prominence. The unseen hand of Arup (and its JV partners) creates a balance in art conservation and display."

— Joop Paul, Project Director Arup

The renovated museum is expected to attract 1.75 million to 2 million visitors annually, which would bring the Rijksmuseum into the top 20 most visited museums worldwide.

"The museum has regained much of its 19^thcentury grandeur, paired with 21^st century lighting and technology."

— The New York Times

After the successful completion of the main building and its corresponding annexes, the 'Philips Wing', which housed the exhibition while the main building was being renovated, is now set to be refurbished, again with Arup's involvement.

World first bio-reactive façade debuts in Hamburg

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The bioreactor façade at the BIQ house is in position and will be showcased for the first time on 23 March at the opening of the International Building Exhibition in Hamburg.

After that, the integrated algae-based system will be put into full operational mode at an inauguration event for the media on 25 April.

The BIQ house will become the world's first pilot project to showcase a bioreactive façade at the International Building Exhibition (IBA) in Hamburg on 23 March. With 200m² of integrated photo-bioreactors, this passive-energy house generates biomass and heat as renewable energy resources. At the same time, the system integrates additional functionality such as dynamic shading, thermal insulation and noise abatement, highlighting the full potential of this technology.

The microalgae used in the façades are cultivated in flat panel glass bioreactors measuring 2.5m x 0.7m. In total, 129 bioreactors have been installed on the south west and south east faces of the four-storey residential building. The heart of the system is the fully automated energy management centre where solar thermal heat and algae are harvested in a closed loop to be stored and used to generate hot water.

The innovative façade system is the result of three years of research and development by Colt International based on a bio-reactor concept developed by SSC Ltd and design work led by Arup. Funding support came from the German Government's "ZukunftBau" research initiative.

"Using bio-chemical processes in the façade of a building to create shade and energy is a really innovative concept. It might well become a sustainable solution for energy production in urban areas, so it is great to see it being tested in a real-life scenario."

—Jan Wurm, Arup's Europe Research Leader

The system will be officially presented to the media on 25 April 2013 when the biofaçade system goes into operation for the first time.

Arup presents 'Lab of the Future' event

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:00:00 GMT

On 14 March Arup presents a symposium themed 'Lab of the Future' in the Space Expo in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.

This expert meeting on the subject of developments in the laboratory environment includes a selection of top speakers from leading research- and production organisations and will bring together an audience of researchers, designers, corporations and institutes.

Arup aims to offer a platform where the attendees are invited to share their knowledge and visions in the field of the lab scenery.

Key questions are: What does the laboratory of the future look like? Where will cutting edge research and high tech manufacturing take us? How do we deal with the ever changing research landscape and anticipate future needs?

'Lab of the Future' will step over the borders of the existing and show a glimpse of the future.

The scheduled speakers are Frank Schuren (TNO), André Kuipers (ESA), Robert Vries (Hubrecht Institute) and Jan van Maarseveen (University of Amsterdam).

People interested in this event can send an e-mail to LabofFuture@arup.com.

Building Award for NIOO-KNAW

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:00:00 GMT

The NIOO-KNAW has been awarded the Dutch Building Award 2013 (buildings category), at the International Buildings trade fair earlier this month.

Arup was responsible for structural engineering of the Netherlands Institute of Ecology, including carrying out a study on the efficiency and sustainability of construction materials. A concrete skeleton was used as part of the building services concept. The concrete was made as sustainable as possible by using concrete rubble as aggregate and incorporating granulated blast-furnace materials into the mix.

The design by Claus and Kaan Architects avoided load-bearing walls in order to maximise open floor space. Instead, a deep floor with an activated concrete core was chosen for the main building and stability achieved through stairwells and fire compartments.

"We studied several material alternatives for the building's structure: steel, timber and concrete. As the building contains laboratories, we concluded that concrete would offer the optimum and most sustainable solution."
— Joop Paul, Project Director Arup

The jury called the architectural expression 'powerful' and though that the choices made towards sustainability are innovative.

NIOO-KNAW has also won the Golden Pyramid Award and the Timber Award.

Arup shows microalgae façade at the International Trade show

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Arup presents the microalgae façade system at the International trade show 'BouwBeurs' in the Netherlands.

Jan Wurm, Research Leader of Arup's Europe region, will speak at the trade show about the zero-energy house that will act as a real-life test for the world's first bio-adaptive façade system that uses live microalgae to provide shade and generate renewable energy at the same time.

The façade concept is designed so that algae in the bio-reactor façades grow faster in bright sunlight to provide more internal shading. The 'bio-reactors', which house the algae, not only produce biomass that can subsequently be harvested, they also capture solar thermal heat. Both energy sources can be used to power the building.

"To use bio-chemical processes for adaptive shading is a really innovative and sustainable solution so it is great to see it being tested in a real-life scenario. As well as generating renewable energy and providing shade to keep the inside of the building cooler on sunny days, it also creates a visually interesting look that architects and building owners will like."

— Jan Wurm, Europe Research Leader, Arup

The façade is installed in the 'BIQ' house for the International Building Exhibition (IBA) in Hamburg, which opens on 22March. Arup will lead a two-year research project funded by the German Government's "Zukunft Bau" initiative, to monitor the energy and technical performance of the technology. how well users of and visitors to the building react to the bio-adaptive façades will also be studied.

Arup wins Dutch Supreme Court contract

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 14:30:00 GMT

The Government Buildings Agency (Rijksgebouwendienst) has selected consortium 'Poort van Den Haag' for the new building of the Dutch Supreme Court in the Hague.

Arup is responsible for structural design and building services.

The project includes demolishing the former AXA-building as well as the French Embassy and also the realisation of a building with 15.000m² offices and court rooms and an underground parking lot.

The consortium is a cooperation of BAM, Claus and Kaan Architects, Arup, ISS Integrated Facility Services and DGMR. The contract includes Design, Build, Finance, Maintenance and Operations ('DBFMO') for a period of thirty years.

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the fields of civil, criminal and tax law in the Netherlands. The new building will be built on the Korte Voorhout / Smit Square in The Hague.

The Public Private Partnership (PPP) contract will be signed on 21 December. The execution will start in 2013 and the building will be handed over to the users in 2015. Afterwards, the consortium will provide maintenance, catering, cleaning services and security services for the new housing.

Arup hosts workshop for Rhino users

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Arup in Amsterdam is hosting a Rhinoceros3D workshop in the office, attended by core developers of McNeel.

Rhinoceros3D is a software application for advanced 3D geometry modeling, among other things used for building design. By organising this workshop Arup underlines the experience in this field and shares the knowledge with architects, contractors, research institutes, software developers and universities.

Examples of projects, realised using Rhino software, are the DUO-building in Groningen and the new Arnhem station. The established computational design team in the Amsterdam office develops advanced software modules, creating feasible solutions for the integrated design vision of all involved parties of the design process.

The programme includes short presentations from the invited parties, showing the use of the software. The developer of the software, McNeel, is represented by Steve Baer, David Rutten and Carlos Perez.

Stedelijk Museum opened by the Queen

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:00:00 GMT

On Saturday 22 September the renovated and extended Stedelijk Museum will be officially opened by Queen Beatrix.

The new levitated superstructure contains exhibition space, a restaurant, a shop and the new entrance. Arup is responsible for the structural design and the lighting design.

Designed by Benthem Crouwel Architects, the new building, popularly called 'the Bath Tub', adds over 9,000m² to the historic museum building. This includes programme space as well as 3,400m² of exhibition space. There is an area located in the basement which is suitable for many forms of contemporary art, being free from daylight.

'The Stedelijk Museum is the first of many museum projects that Arup in the Netherlands is involved in and we are very happy that the doors will open to the public this weekend'.

- Joop Paul, Project Director at Arup

The Stedelijk Museum is now orientated towards the Museum Square, connecting the institute to the illustrious neighbors: the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum and the Concert Hall.

'With this reopening the Stedelijk Museum repositions itself as one of the leading arts institutes. It puts Amsterdam in the spotlight as center of artistic renewal and brings new life to the Museum Square, one of the most important cultural landscapes in the world'.

- Ann Goldstein, Director of the Stedelijk Museum.

The museum maintains a collection of modern contemporary art and design of 90,000 objects dating from the seventies of the nineteenth century to the present.

The historic part of the museum houses the permanent collection, including art from the oeuvre of Karel Appel, Marc Chagall, Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol. In addition, the museum offers a permanent design presentation including industrial design, graphic design and applied art. The new building offers temporary exhibitions.

As of 23 September, the museum will be open to the public.