Eco Factor: Sustainable city produces more energy than it consumes.
Architects around the world have escalated efforts to build energy-efficient buildings that make the most of natural resources for energy and water. While some building rely on the use of solar energy to reduce grid electricity consumption, designers at Rolf Disch have created a net positive city in Freiburg, Germany that produces up to four times the amount of energy it consumes.
Christened the Sonnenschiff (Solar Ship) and Solarseidlung (Solar Village) the mixed-use buildings include a series of large rooftop solar arrays that double as sun shades. The buildings are built to Passivhaus standards that reduce the amount of energy needed for heating and cooling. The development includes 52 homes with space for commercial facilities as well.
In addition to the use of large solar arrays, the building features technologies like phase-change materials and vacuum insulation that boosts the thermal performance of the building’s wall system. The development also includes penthouses that have access to rooftop gardens. Moreover, the rooftops feature rainwater recycling systems that help irrigate the gardens and also supply gray water for use in toilets.
Via: Inhabitat
