Sang thesis 2011
Oceans cover more than 70% of Earth's surface, making them the world's largest solar collectors. The sun's heat warms the surface water a lot more than the deep ocean water, and this temperature difference creates thermal energy. Just a small portion of the heat trapped in the ocean could power the world. Current trends in architecture have prevented sustainability from becoming a mainstream design solution and the general population is acutely unaware of the importance of sustainable design. Presently global warming, urban sprawl, and the overuse of natural resources are major concerns for the natural environment. This thesis investigation looks to the future when renewable energy sources may be the only source of power. In addition, designing on the ocean could soon become a reality due to city overcrowding and inadequate natural resource . The design intervention employs ocean thermal energy for a “floating Recreational hub” located 7 Km offshore the coastline of Goa, India. Acting as a self sustaining building, this facility not only uses ocean energy as its primary source of energy, but is also envisioned as an iconic structure which can serve as an educational model for sustainable design, floating architecture, and ocean wave energy Architects have an ethical responsibility to society and the natural environment when designing the spaces people inhabit. Buildings are the leading users and abusers of natural resources when the life-cycle and construction process of buildings are compared to other current manufacturing processes. Investigation of alternative building materials and renewable energy sources will be imperative for future architectural endeavours. Discovering innovative places to build will also be of immense concern for architecture of future generations. Due to overcrowding of cities and the invasion of urban sprawl, designers are looking for the next place to build. New Urbanites argue that infill development is the solution, which has merit; but another possible building typology exists. Working with water-born energy solutions, there are great opportunities for building on water. Creating a completely offshore building and site can not only reduce the dependence on conventional electric generation by exploring new energy sources, but can also pave the way for a new aesthetic and methodology of design. Building on water is not a simple matter. Understanding a variety of innovative technologies and sustainable building practices will prevent water architecture from succumbing to ecological degradation. A holistic understanding of innovative building technologies and renewable non-polluting energy can be achieved through the investigation of floating architecture and ocean wave energy. Placing a building on the ocean opens many possibilities for renewable energy.
