Table 5 Discussion of issues raised regarding the current situation and the proposed algae facades
From: Bio-algae: a study of an interactive facade for commercial buildings in populated cities
Original building skin (current situation-curtain facade) | Algae building skin (Proposed facade) | |||
Project illustration |
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Public Benefits | Urban Heat Island Effect | - Using artificial cooling. - No shading devices. - High temperature around the building. | - Promotes natural cooling processes - Provides shade for surfaces/people - Reduces the ambient temperature in urban areas | |
Exterior Air Quality | High levels of harmful particles in the air and volatile organic compounds because of a large numbers of HVAC | - Captures airborne pollutants - Filters noxious gases and particulate matter - Deposition of pollutants and atmosphere | ||
Aesthetic | Its aesthetic appearance is acceptable, although unsuitable for hot countries. | - Provide aesthetic variation in the environment - Increases property values - Creates visual interest، hides/obscures unsightly features | ||
Private Benefits | Energy Efficiency | Daylight | - Use of artificial lighting. - Reliance on natural lighting is limited or nonexistent. | - Contributes to transmitting natural light inside the building, as it allows creating shades as desired by the user with different colors according to the type of algae. |
Thermal | - The glass facades have a big role in heat transfer inside the building with minor lag. - Use of artificial ventilation to reduce thermal loads inside the building. | - Improves thermal insulation capacity. - Limits the transfer of heat through thick algae mass. - Reduces the ambient temperature via processes of shading. - The watery environment of algae also helps to reduce thermal loads. | ||
Original building skin (current situation-curtain facade) | Algae building skin (Proposed facade) | |||
Biofuel | Does not contribute. | - Production of biofuels (oil/lipid per dry weight. ( | ||
Private Benefits | Building Structure | Buildings exposed to the weathering elements and UV with time | - Protects exterior finishes from UV radiation, and temperature fluctuations. | |
Indoor Air Quality | - Does not contribute to the renewal of air inside the building. - Resorts to mechanics for cooling, heating, and lighting. |
- Filters noxious gases and volatile organic compounds, absorbing CO2 | ||
Noise | Contributes to the transmission of sounds easily; therefore, noise-insulating materials must be used. | - The depth of the growing media, structural components, and the overall coverage reduce noise. | ||
Marketing | - The HVAC system and artificial lighting are required for these buildings, making it more challenging to market. | - Improved aesthetics can help to market a project and provide valuable amenity space. | ||
Reduce CO2 | - Using algae facade reduces the level of CO2. The curtain facade does not contribute to this. | |||
Efficient application & usage | - The algae facade integrates into the entire building site design and uses multiple systems and forms. - Specific benefits can include security, privacy screening, shade, biodiversity, and habitat. - It has the highest growth rate; it does not require using freshwater. | |||
Concerns | - worry about health concerns due to the presence of algae in the space. - It needs highly efficient and specialized maintenance, and in case it is not available, it will lead to problems. - The negative perception of algae, which is associated with odors, therefore needs special care. | |||
