A sustainable housing project developed by architects at ACTX in Salburúa, Spain, is a remarkable masterpiece of modern architecture. This eco-friendly project is said to have a substantial reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and was completed in 2011.
It was designed to integrate 9 shops at the ground level while all the other upper floors are meant for communal housing. The block can be viewed as having a curve between levels 4 and 7. The structure rises above that curve with another 21 floors.
These height variations are intended for explicit sunlight exposure, allowing the sun to be directly viewable from most apartments within it. Another strategically designed part is the south-west tower positioned in such a way that it allows for maximum exposure to sunshine at any given time of day to a big proportion of the apartments.
Greater sustainability of this building has been promoted by its cogeneration capacity which produces 70kW of power and 109kW of heating on the site location. Efficiency advantages accrued to this kind of onsite fuel power proximity design include offering great energy savings compared to grid power. Based on cogeneration, this building allows for an energy production model that seems to make use of the same fuel twice, yet at such a close distance that wastage is minimal.
According to ACTX, the generated electricity is enough for use within and excess power could as well be sold back to the network. There are plans to furnish the building with more advanced touches that will make it an even more enjoyable place to live in.
[via ecofriend]
