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Algae-Powered Living with Aluminum Panels for Sustainable Micro Homes

Authors:
Darien Too, Qin Hong Tang, Bruce Yee, Dennis Ng
Algae-Powered Living with Aluminum Panels for Sustainable Micro Homes

Project in-detail

Utilizing a Micro Algae Bioreactor System and aluminum panels, these sustainable micro homes address energy efficiency and climate resilience while fostering self-sufficiency in urban living.
5 key facts about this project
01
Micro Algae Bioreactor System supports energy production and oxygen generation.
02
Homes are designed to utilize captured carbon dioxide from external emissions.
03
Biomass from algae is converted into biofuel for sustainable energy use.
04
Indoor farming units promote self-sufficiency and urban food production.
05
Aluminum panels provide structural integrity while enhancing energy efficiency.

The design responds to the urgent issues of climate change, particularly for coastal cities like Singapore that are experiencing rising sea levels. The focus is on creating sustainable micro homes that incorporate advanced technologies to tackle energy challenges related to flooding. The approach emphasizes harmony between urban living and ecological principles, aiming for self-sufficiency while enhancing quality of life.

Micro Algae Bioreactor System

At the center of the design is the Micro Algae Bioreactor System. This system employs a complex circulatory mechanism to sustain the algae, allowing it to thrive. By facilitating the movement of water, phosphorus, and nitrogen, the system creates an environment conducive to growth. Carbon dioxide from external sources is captured and transferred into the water mixed with various strains of algae. This process enables effective photosynthesis, producing oxygen and increasing biomass, which benefits the surrounding atmosphere.

Sustainability and Energy Efficiency

A key feature is the Bio Intelligent Quotient (BIQ). It can fulfill about one-third of its water-heating needs using biomass fuel and heat generated within the bioreactor panels. The biomass is regularly filtered out as a soft pulp, which is then processed into biofuel. This design establishes a closed-loop system that improves energy efficiency and emphasizes waste reduction, reflecting a commitment to sustainable living.

Integrated Living Solutions

The design includes an indoor farming unit, allowing residents to grow food within their homes. This aspect fosters self-sufficiency, connecting people directly with their food sources. Additional functional elements, such as portable water filters, grey water treatment tanks, and battery generators, help maintain comfortable living conditions while ensuring environmentally responsible practices.

Aluminum roof panels are used for their structural strength and energy efficiency. This careful choice of material supports the overall system while ensuring the micro homes are resilient against the challenges posed by climate change. The design emphasizes practicality and sustainability, promoting innovative solutions to the pressing environmental issues faced today.

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MICROHOME 10: Celebrating Small-Scale Living with €100,000 Prize Fund and Kingspan’s Innovation

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Competition organisers

The MICROHOME 10 competition invites participants to submit visionary designs for off-grid, modular microhomes that push the limits of sustainable, small-scale living. Organised by Buildner in partnership with Kingspan and Hapi Homes, this tenth edition sets the challenge of designing a dwelling for two people within a maximum floor area of 25 m², encouraging bold solutions adaptable to any urban or rural location. The competition continues Buildner’s mission to foster innovative approaches to compact, energy-efficient housing that can address pressing global challenges.

This year’s edition offers a generous total prize fund of €100,000, including the Kingspan Award for designs that integrate high-performance Kingspan products and the Hapi Homes Award for a project selected for real-world construction. In addition to cash prizes, the winners gain international exposure through Buildner’s media partnerships, publications, and a dedicated MICROHOME magazine, further amplifying their ideas to the wider architectural community.

Key dates for MICROHOME 10 include the closing date for registration on 25 September 2025, the submission deadline on 29 October 2025 (11:59 p.m. London time), and the announcement of winners on 9 December 2025. These milestones ensure participants have clear timelines to develop and present their concepts, with early registration discounts available to support students and emerging designers worldwide.

MICROHOME

Design a new small-scale home concept in the 10th edition of MICROHOME — 100,000 € prize + construction

100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #10 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 100,000 € + Potential realisation
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 25 September 2025

Enter an open architecture
competition now

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