Algae-based Irrigation System To Be The First Of A New Generation Of “Living Architecture?”
Sourced from 3D Printing Industry
Researchers at the Egypt-based British University and Cosign Group have 3D printed an algae-loaded filament into an eco-friendly rooftop-mountable water irrigation system.
Built to address the vast quantities of wastewater produced by the country’s air conditioning units, the vase-like tubular device filters and redistributes any such byproducts, into watering its enclosed plant life. Given the challenges posed by climate change, the scientists see their façade as a more circular alternative to conventional glass surfaces, and the first in a new line of “living architecture.”
“In Egypt, during the extreme heat in summer, air conditioners produce a huge amount of outlet wastewater, causing great damage to buildings’ façades,” explained the team in their paper. “[Our] paper presents an innovative product solution made from algae, that aims to reuse this wastewater as a self-watering landscape façade element that acts as an irrigation system.”
The researchers’ 3D printed filtration system. Image via the Materials and Contact Characterisation journal.
Making construction eco-friendly
As climate change begins to cause extreme fluctuations in temperature around the world, countries are increasingly seeking to identify cleaner energy sources and more sustainable building materials. However, those living in large cities often try to deal with these thermal changes through the use of power-intensive ‘HVAC’ air conditioning units, which compound the issue by pumping out polluted water.
From the Living Architecture Monitor
