Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Forecast #1- The Dutch Wind Wheel: The Future of Wind Energy

A) Sources

- Project Website
- Engineering POV
- Article/Interview

Lead designer Duzan Doepl gives a brief description of the project in this video:








B) Analysis

The future of wind energy has been modified to not use what a person may think to be its main component, which is the way it incorporates movement.

Rather than the iconic "arms" that rotate on top of a pillar, it has now been incorporating the movement of water in its place. The science behind this is using horizontal pipes that release droplets of positively charged water; the movement that the droplets create is then translated into energy by way of  EWICON (Electrostatic Wind turbine).

The benefit of this is that although current wind energy is "sustainable", meaning that it doesn't use fossil fuels, it is harmful to the environment in the sense that it is extremely harmful to migrating birds.

This project incorporates both aesthetically pleasing and sustainable design that is sure to be a keystone in how we rethink our sources of energy in a positive direction.

It houses 72 units of apartments, hotels restaurants, and businesses. The outer ring serves as a tourist attraction as it rotates. The integration of private and public spaces makes it more of a cohesive culture that allows for like-minded people to bond over the experience of the Wind Wheel.


C) Bullet Answers

1)    The global impact, national impact, and local / personal impact.
Without using fossil fuels, this building is able to both sustain it's own energy and not generate pollution. Because of this, it impacts both small scale and large scale energy outputs for the better.            

2)    Forecast the range of impact over the short term (the next 2 months to 2 years), to the long term (next 20 years to 20 + decades).
This project alone will able to survive any environmental crisis and is also setting the example for other future business to operate in such a way. Together, the increased amount of sustainable buildings will be able to outlast current fossil fuel burning operations and create cleaner environment.  
   3)  What could you do, or could be done to create the greatest positive impact on the future.”
Strengthen positive environmental networks, invest in more innovation and practical applications. Take our troops out of the Middle East and put that funding towards a more sustainable future that is not dependent on crude oil. Making sustainability affordable and accessible.
         

4) “What could you do, or could be done to create the greatest negative impact on the future.”
        Continue relying on fossil fuels and fighting for crude oil in the Middle East. 


5)    “Which region of the future” does this related closest most to or does this fit in between – or perhaps a region of the future you’d like to define for yourself.
          Sustainable design


Questions for you:
Would you visit the wind wheel or live in these apartments? Why/why not?
Do you think this is a step forward or backward in terms of sustainable design?
Do you see this incorporated in other parts of the world?


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Just keeping things on the up and up since this is for my students to communicate first.