THE GATE RESIDENCE'S GREEN ARCHITECTURE FEATURES

RESIDENCE'S GREEN ARCHITECTURE FEATURES

Egypt is the latest country to be the target for a futuristic building, designed to be the pinnacle in eco-construction.

The multi-billion pound complex, called The Gate Residence, will be built in Cairo and in addition to environmentally-friendly features such as solar panels, wind turbines and heating tubes, the property will house 1,000 apartments. 

There will also be three levels of offices and even a shopping centre with four levels of underground parking, valet services, babysitting and a 24-hour pharmacy. 

The state-of-the-art project was designed by Belgian architect, Vincent Callebaut.

Built into the property, windcatchers, geothermal cooling, solar panels, solar heater tubes and wind turbines will generate electricity for the residents and manage the building's temperature and energy waste levels.

In Egypt, windcatchers are known as Malqaf and function in three ways - directing airflow down using direct wind entry, directing airflow upwards using a wind-assisted temperature gradient, or directing airflow upwards using a solar-assisted temperature gradient.

A series of nine so-called 'megatrees' will be the nine windcatchers for The Gate Residents, and will improve cooling during warm seasons, and night cooling rates. 

In The Gate Project, Mr Callebaut plans to build air shafts into the cores to naturally cool each apartment.

Then, using ground loops, the geothermal heat pumps will move heat energy back and forth between the building and the earth to provide an efficient and environmentally-friendly way of heating and cooling apartments and commercial spaces. They will additionally provide hot water.

Windcatchers 

In Egypt, windcatchers are known as Malqaf and function in three ways - directing airflow down using direct wind entry, directing airflow upwards using a wind-assisted temperature gradient, or directing airflow upwards using a solar-assisted temperature gradient.

A series of nine so-called 'megatrees' will be the nine windcatchers in the project, and will improve cooling during warm seasons and night cooling rates.

Passive geothermal cooling and heating system  

Passive Cooling is a technique that controls and movs heat around a building in order to improve indoor temperatures, without using a lot of energy.

It works by either stopping heat entering the interior, known as heat gain prevention, or by removing heat from the building, or natural cooling.   

In The Gate Project, Mr Callebaut plans to build air shafts into the cores to naturally cool each apartment.

Then, using ground loops, the geothermal heat pumps will move heat energy back and forth between the building and the earth to provide an efficient and environmentally-friendly way of heating and cooling apartments and commercial spaces. They will additionally provide hot water.

Solar photovoltaic cells  

Conventional solar cells use visible and infrared light to generate electricity, but photovoltaic cells use ultraviolet radiation.  

In the project, the solar roof will be covered by walkable solar creating shadows above the patios and the promenade. They will generate electricity for the building. The solar cells will be integrated in a double glass layer that will be easy to clean, too.

Solar water heating tubes  

Solar water heating, or solar hot water systems, are designed to deliver hot water to all the bathrooms and kitchens of the building for most of the year, explained Mr Callebaut. 

Glass-metal tubes collect heat from the sun, and heating the water will be managed using elliptical shapes covering the rooms in each core on the roof.

Vertical axis wind turbines  

Vertical-axis wind turbines are a type of turbine where the main rotor shaft is set vertically, and the main components are located at the base of the turbine. This allows the generator and gearbox to be located close to the ground, making it easier to service and repair.  

These helical twisted wind turbines will be built along the inner street on the roof, to benefit from the winds, and generate electricity. 

Green/living walls 

The primary cause of heat build-up in cities is the absorption of solar radiation by roads and buildings, explained the architect. 

The green walls will reduce overall temperatures of these building, and by covering the surface with plants, they will also be a way of recycling water. 

In the project, the nine megatrees will be covered by living walls. These walls will also be fitted along the inner street. 

Smart home automation  

The technology will be built-in to the offices and apartments, meaning homeowners will be able to control the different zones, rooms and temperatures.

Multi-sensors will be used to detect the number of people in a room, motion, temperature, and light levels before adjusting to reach the perfect climate. 

This is expected to save wasted energy.

In the project, the solar roof will be covered by walkable panels creating shadows above the patios and the promenade. They will generate electricity for the building.

The roof of the building will be turned into a community garden, complete with orchards, infinity swimming pools and a sports area, and there will be multiple rooftop areas connected by foot bridges. 

While green walls will reduce overall temperatures of these building, and by covering the surface with plants, they will also be a way of recycling water.

In the project, the nine megatrees will be covered by these living walls, and walls will also be fitted along the inner street. 

And inside the building, smart home automation technology will be fitted to the offices and apartments, meaning homeowners and workers will be able to control the different zones, rooms and temperatures.

Multi-sensors will be used to detect the number of people in a room, motion, temperature, and light levels before adjusting to reach the perfect climate, and this is expected to save wasted energy. 

In total, the complex will cover 4.8 million square feet (450,000 square metres) and is set to cost £3.9 billion (£4.5 billion Egyptian pounds).

'It is time for Cairo to witness the creation of an iconic sustainable building that would express the future of the city,' said Mr Callebaut.   

'In the heart of this new Cairo, the Gate Residence is an innovative design idea for a green building, representing the combination of trees and building, and [transforming] the city into a vertical, green, dense and hyper-connected ecosystem.' 

The ambition of the Gate Project is to create a new prototype of inhabited ecosytem that will create 50 per cent energy savings. The building is also designed to decrease its carbon footprint, and to recycle a part of its own waste, for example.

Mr Callebaut said: ‘The main objective behind this urban proposal is to raise awareness of green sustainable architecture to fight against global warming.

‘The project shows a high ambition in green energy and technology. The objective is to create a sustainable landmark in Cairo by transforming this efficient building mass, multiplying the perspective views towards the streets, into a huge urban oasis.' 

Mr Callebaut said work will start on the new building in March next year. It will be completed in 2019.

• Called The Gate Residence, the billion-pound project was designed by Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut
• It will feature geothermal cooling, windcatchers, solar panels, solar heater tubes and wind turbines
• Property will also house 1,000 apartments, three levels of offices and a shopping centre with underground parking
• While the roof will transform into a garden, with orchards, swimming pools and a sports area
• Work on the new building is set to start in March next year, and it is expected to be completed in 2019
• In total, the complex will cover 4.8 million square feet (450,000 square metres) and is set to cost £3.9 billion

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