The harbor

Hamburg is one of the most important port cities in Germany and it is also the greenest city in the country. For this reason it has received the recognition of "European Green Capital 2011" from the European Commission.

One of the most intelligent features of the city is represented by the BIQ house residential building, which, structured on five levels and with 15 housing units, is equipped with bioreactive facades in microalgae on the south-west side and on the south-east side. Basically, four levels of the building are clad with bio-glass panels, within which microalgae are grown. The panels are able to provide biomass and heat at the same time, to be used for the different energy needs of the building.

Regarding the functioning of the bio-panel system it must be said that the microalgae are fed by liquid substances and carbon dioxide through an appropriate dedicated plant. When sunlight hits the panels, the microalgae activate the process of chlorophyll photosynthesis and multiply in relation to the power of the sun's rays. Once a certain level of growth is reached, the microalgae are collected as biomass, which is used to feed a bioreactor for the production of biogas. Then, the biogas is used for the energy needs of the building (electricity, heating, hot water production). The amount of biomass produced by microalgae is five times higher than that generated by plants. The bio-panels, due to the proliferation of microalgae produced by the absorption of CO₂ present in the air, become opaque, thus protecting the building from sunlight and atmospheric agents. The windows also have the function of thermal and acoustic insulation. To maintain the heating system and the production of hot water, the building also uses the heat that the bio-panels absorb directly from sunlight. The whole system is designed to create an energy reserve, which is stored in the summer and used in the cold season.

All the new buildings in Hamburg are equipped with intelligent controls and low energy consumption heating, while the old buildings and old neighborhoods are being adapted with smart technologies. Furthermore, particular attention is paid to digitization in the sectors of mobility, health and education.

The city of Hamburg is also the protagonist of the smart HafenCity program, one of the largest urban regeneration projects on the continent. Among the objectives set by the program, in addition to the expansion of green areas within the city, there is the construction, by 2025, of a university citadel and a new tourist cargo port.