Technical Envelope

system to create a comfort zone.” Unfortunately, the Arctic algae died,

in part because it was being attacked by algae already in the system. “Nevertheless, we are confi dent that in future we will fi nd a species that can survive, which is one of the next steps in terms of process variation,” Pauli adds. Thermal energy absorbed by the

water in the facades is also being harnessed to heat the building. This is being used for hot water and heating, and is stored 80m below ground inside borehole heat exchangers fi lled with brine. The protracted hot summer means a much greater amount of heat has been generated than expected. “We are considering the idea of applying the algae concept to data centres, which have a lot of heat available as a result of internal loads, so we could use that in winter to create a comfort zone [to counteract low external temperatures,” says Pauli. The team is now planning to refi ne

the structure of the bulky louver system, which, though effective at supporting loads created by the water inside, is limiting from an architectural perspective, says Pauli. “I expect the louvers to evolve in a similar way that solar PV cells are moving away from being standardised rectangular panels to organic materials that can be applied to different shapes and surfaces, to enable architects to incorporate it seamlessly into their design concepts,” he concludes.

The panels are made of a composite of bioresin and hemp fi bres

Netherlands’ fi bre future

ORGANIC MATTER has been applied in a more literal sense to create the facades of a new gas receiving station, built for the sustainable development fi rm Tuinbouw Ontwikkelings Maatschappij, in New Prinsenland, near Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The one-storey cube-shaped structure, designed by local architect Studio Marco Vermeulen, is clad in panels made from Nabasco, a composite of bioresin and hemp fi bre produced by manufacturer NPSP Composites. The panels’ surfaces are shaped into 3D lettering showing the chemical composition of natural gas in terms of numbers of hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen atoms. The concept was inspired by the idea of

“[In the future] green materials will largely be based on organic residues from agriculture and horticulture.” Marco Vermeulen

44 | SEPTEMBER 2014 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

a transition to a “bio-based economy” in which oil-based construction materials could soon become scarce, triggering the development of plant-based materials. “[In the future] green materials will largely be based on organic residues from agriculture and horticulture,” Marco Vermeulen told CM. He added: “This development is still in its early days, but will be signifi cant for the construction industry. In the future, bio-based economy these biomass residues will fi rst be processed into usable

raw materials. The remaining organic material is available for renewable energy. The industry in the Dutch region of West Brabant seems to achieve a pioneering role in this development.” He is referring to the building’s location in a 600 ha development site called the Agro & Food Cluster in New Prinsenland, part of West Brabant. The site is a sustainable intensive food production area where energy, water and waste streams are designed to be closed cycles, in which energy is recirculated. For example, waste heat and CO2

produced by

a sugar factory will be re-used on the site. In addition, organic residues taken from agriculture and horticulture will be used to manufacture green materials, and as a source of biomass used to generate renewable energy.

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