Algae bioreactor building envelope - energy saving and CO2 sequestion information display shading system

Abstract

In recent years, several algae-based facade systems have been integrated into buildings. They have high ecological performance, working as a multi-functional system to reduce energy use and capture carbon dioxide (CO2). Compared with other dynamic building envelopes, the algae bio-reactive building envelope (ABBE) is unique to other dynamic building envelopes because it contains a bio-driven dynamic building skin rather than the traditional mechanically driven skin. Although algae bioreactor building systems have the potential to replace existing mechanical dynamic shading, their implementation has been limited due to the high costs associated with their research, development, and implementation. Much of ABBE research has focused on early concept exploration and feasibility discussions rather than the development and testing of actual implementations. The only real-world built project, the Bio Intelligent Quotient, investigates an algae bioreactor building envelope's energy gain and biomass harvest. However, solely using ABBEs’ ability- to harvest energy to justify its usefulness may not be enough to support ABBE research and development at scale. This thesis discusses how algae bioreactors react to buildings' environments and demonstrates the significance of bio-driven dynamic shading in buildings in addition to the energy perspective. This research aims to bring algae into cities using algae bioreactors on building envelopes. Algae bioreactors that respond to CO2 concentration, lighting, and temperature can be used as information display that show environmental conditions. Using algae's extraordinary properties, this study establishes a connection between environmental information and building appearance while also capturing CO2, generating electricity, storing thermal mass, and providing shading for indoor environments. Moreover, shading has enormous potential to help to reduce buildings’ CO2 emissions and energy use. How algae bioreactors respond to people's living conditions, such as lighting, air (CO2), or temperature, are also examined through using built prototype experiments and computer simulation. To accomplish this, I use a prototype that focuses on creating algae façade color variation, which means creating interaction between algae appearance and environmental conditions. Additionally, I use digital simulations to test how much energy the bioreactors receive from solar on a whole-scale building and speculate about how environmental factors influence algae bioreactor building envelope appearance. An algae bioreactors building envelope is an environmentally reactive two-layer building skin that can indicate environmental conditions. Combining environmental data visualization and a bio-driven dynamic shading strategy gives designers a new design for building envelopes.