Architectural Bio-Photo Reactors: Harvesting Microalgae on the Surface of Architecture - Biotechnologies and Biomimetics for Civil Engineering - page 161

Fig. 7.1 A bio self-sufficient city from Algae (R. Cervera and J. Pioz)

• On one hand, algae, as autotrophic organisms, collectors of carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen, nitrogen and phosphate and producers of sugars, fats, proteins, nucleic
acids, enzymes, vitamins and oxygen, and therefore, the raw material for food
manufacturing, both human and animal; medicines; bio-energy; biomass; bio-
fertilizers, etc., and secondly, as heterotrophic organisms, acting as purifying
agents of contaminants.
• On the other hand, current technologies for building surfaces and architectural
envelopes (facades, roofs, floors, etc.) and the available materials, combined in
solutions capable of conducting liquids with microalgae, CO 2 and nutrients and
able to allow the passage of light for photosynthesis and conversion of solar
energy into other energy.

The proposal presented here has therefore considerable impact on the way we
must design our buildings and cities. There is an increasing need to gain self-
sufficiency in architecture and cities in order to move on from ''cities that con-
sume'' to ''cities that produce''. The search for innovative alternatives is on, and
includes the emerging technology of microalgae cultivated via photo-bioreactors.
Architecture has become susceptible of taking on the role of a Bio-Factory for
energy and food and other products.
Enclosed surfaces of buildings are increasingly versatile for balancing their
enclosure with other function such as to capture energy or CO 2 . This vision of
multi-functionality of architecture has a dual contribution as it benefits the society
to use the architecture for a function of energy and environmental value in addition
to their usual constructive missions and providing greater benefits like building