Desert Wonder

A German architect is behind the latest architectural wonders to be built in Dubai and Bahrain – the office towers are to be the first office towers in the world that produce all their own energy.

The Middle East is currently leading the way in cutting edge architecture, so it comes as no surprise that the latest innovation in buildings is heading their way. With the green issue at the forefront of many nation’s minds, buildings should not just be about beauty, they should also be pushing the frontiers of science and technology. And this is where Eckhard Gerber’s vision comes in.

Along with his team of architects, the German has envisaged a 68 story skyscraper. Reaching the dizzy heights of 1,056 feet (322 metres), making it to number 22 on the list of the World’s tallest buildings, the Burj al-Taqa (the “Energy Tower”) should produce all energy itself via sunlight, wind and water. Although the idea only exists in digital form at the moment, many people have praised the idea. Gerber is currently in talks with a Bahrain holding company to help him finance his idea. Currently, costs are estimated at about $406 million. Should this deal fall through, there is already interest from financiers in Dubai and Riyadh.

Not content with an external beauty, Gerber has plans for some features within the building itself including the use of high-quality steel ropes to suspend hanging gardens within the air ducts in the building to transform an ugly necessity that is often hidden in other buildings, into something beautiful and unique.

The Thermos Effect

Stuttgart engineering company DS-Plan have helped Gerber in his plans for a self-sufficient skyscraper, helping him to plan the technological facilities within the building. One of the most complex and problematic areas of skyscraper design is acknowledged to be the outer surface of the building – get it wrong, and the interior of the building becomes an unbearable oven. And so, the Burj al-Taqa has a cylindrical shape to minimise the surface area exposed to the sun.

A protective solar shield stretches from the ground to the roof, covering 60 degrees of the building. This solar shield protects the side that is most affected by the sun’s rays reducing the number of rooms that are exposed to direct sunlight. The diffuse light present on the other side of the building is tempered by coating the windows with a mineral substance.

New vacuum glazing not yet on the market will be used for the tower’s facade. These special windows shield the interior of the building from the outside temperatures, something which is incredibly important in a region where the temperature outside can reach 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). The new vacuum windows transmit about two thirds less heat than other products and are therefore a must for the new building.

DS-Plan’s energy manager Peter Mosle has likened the building to a Thermos flask. “Such as building has to work like a thermos flask,” he explained. “It has to have a cooling effect in the summer and retain heat in the winter.”

Ancient Cooling Principles

Hundreds of years ago, wealthy merchants put wind towers on the roofs of their houses to help keep cool. Lateral openings sucked in air, just like a chimney. The hot air rose and the cooler air sank down, helping to create a comfortable temperature inside the building. This idea has been given a make-over and will be incorporated into the Energy Tower.

Negative pressure created by the winds breaking on the tower will suck spent air out of the building via air slits in the facade. Fresh air will then be pumped into the interior using a duct system at the same time. It is planned that seawater will be used to pre-cool the air before the air passes into one of three large cooling units situated in the cellar of the skyscraper. Transparent ducts will then transport this cooled air into the rooms of the building.

The underground cooling centre will also cool water in the pipelines which will run through the underneath of each floor’s ceiling. The system of tubes is meant to be a modern air-conditioning system which cools gently and without the air currents commonly associated with air-conditioning.

Electricity Production

One of the most impressive features of the building is it’s lack of dependence on electricity from the electricity grid. A 197 foot (60 metre) turbine will be placed on the tower’s roof and two photovoltaic facilities with a total surface area of 15,000 square metres (161,459 square feet) will work to provide the building with all the electricity it should require. A bank of solar panels covering an area of 17,000 square metres will sit in the sea within viewing distance of the tower, providing any additional energy that may be required.

Any excess electricity will be used to obtain hydrogen from the sea by using electrolysis. The hydrogen created will be stored in special tanks.

Let there be light

During the night-time, the energy facility will use fuel cells to generate electricity to create light. During the day, mirrors placed on the roof will direct a cone of light that passes through the centre of the building, providing each floor with natural light.

Right now, there is no proof that Gerber’s amazing idea will work, something which the German himself freely admits. However, in a world which is becoming increasingly worried about power consumption and carbon emissions, and where buildings win awards for being eco-friendly, his idea is worth a try. Gerber has faith, as do his investors. It seems only time will tell whether this dream will in fact become a reality.

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