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Student [edit] Competition Idea: harnessing the energy of gravity
A significant future challenge involving buildings will be energy production on-site. Green energy will be required since fossil fuel use will be outlawed.
Producing electricity on-site would reduce the colossal wasted energy involved in the transportation and storage of electricity. Two ideas for creating energy from the building in situ are:
1. miniature 'cladding wind farms' consisting of photovoltaic panel-sails attached to the external walls, harnessing wind and sun energy.
2. multiple miniature rotor-assemblies (connected to turbines situated on the roof) seated inside rainwater downpipes which utilise the downward flow of rainwater to generate electricity. Think vertical hydroelectric power generation.
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