GHD has developed a concept to cut energy use in high rise buildings.
The external shading system sits like a skin on the outside of a building, moving around on tracks to shield the sun while still allowing daylight to penetrate. Made from a lightweight frames incorporating photovoltaic cells, the sunshield:
• reduces the energy required to light and cool a building by 30 per cent
• produces enough energy to power the movement of the shade and provide up to 10 per cent of the building’s remaining power needs
• is made from a simple and cost effective series of modular panels, which can be removed individually without compromising the whole system
• incorporates a guide rail at each floor level to provide both structural support and access for cleaning and maintenance
The concept was developed through GHD’s innovation program, which invites the company’s 6,000 people to submit, collaborate and vote on ideas. The solar shading device was submitted by Martin Hay, architecture manager in GHD’s Doha office, and developed and tested in collaboration with the company’s Brisbane and Melbourne offices.
GHD has estimated that if the sunshade system was mounted on a 40,000 sqm tower that is 40 floors high, the shade could reduce CO2 production by 600 tonnes and generate 1,000 megawatt hours of power a year.
GHD will conduct in-depth studies with selected manufacturers to refine the concept and explore the potential for the transference of electricity generated to the grid, and an integrated water-based cooling system powered by the shield to further reduce air-conditioning.
