For places where there are not too many skyscrapers, perhaps we can consider “Buildings as Batteries” – from the ability of the structure itself to hold onto heat throughout the day to seeing how the grid, the building, and even electric vehicles on-site can function as energy draws or providers in the right situations.
Today’s ArchDaily takes us to The Future of Energy: Can Buildings Become Reservoirs of Power? – and looks at the newest technologies pointing to ‘buildings as batteries’ in the widest sense. Here are the opening and closing pieces of a fascinating overview:
Environmental degradation has shed light on the need for new sources of energy. A shift in energy sources calls for innovative means of storing energy. For centuries, buildings have proven able to store people, objects, and systems, inviting a conversation about their untapped potential to efficiently store large amounts of energy. In this new era, can buildings go beyond being structures of function to potential reservoirs of power?
… As we chart the course towards a sustainable energy future, the challenges posed by the high cost of energy storage installations and concerns about battery supply chains loom large. However, the promise of decentralized, grid-interactive buildings and innovative energy storage solutions presents a compelling vision. Buildings are not merely structures but potential powerhouses that could redefine the landscape of energy storage.
