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Arup shows microalgae façade at the International Trade show

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Pien Niehe Pien Niehe Europe Press Office,Amsterdam
6 February 2013

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. ” Portrait Jan Wurm Jan Wurm Consultant

The façade is installed in the ‘BIQ’ house for the International Building Exhibition (IBA) in Hamburg, which opens on 22 March. 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.