Buildings that rotate to follow the Sun, just like sunflowers, producing clean energy to power themselves and electric vehicles, while giving the users different views through the day.
Through Artificial Intelligence, the buildings can also be set to behave autonomously, adapting their behavior (rotation, opening windows, closing shutters) to reduce energy consumption for climatization and/or to maximize energy production.
Local
Portugal
Municipality of Matosinhos
Mainly urban
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
No
No
Yes
2021-06-02
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): Casas Em Movimento Type of organisation: For-profit company First name of representative: Guilherme Last name of representative: Silva Gender: Male Nationality: Portugal If relevant, please select your other nationality: Portugal Function: Marketing Manager Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Rua Eng. Edgar Cardoso, nº74 Town: Marco de Canaveses Postal code: 4630-216 Country: Portugal Direct Tel:+351 911 528 618 E-mail:gs@casasemmovimento.com Website:http://casasemmovimento.com/
At Casas Em Movimento we design, build and deliver Buildings In Motion (BIMs) which rotate to follow the sun, but which can also be controlled by smartphones, allowing different spatial organizations and views throughout the day, while producing more clean energy (solar) than they consume (the surplus clean energy can be used to power electric vehicles).
Casas Em Movimento’s technology is patented in the 5 main continents, and it is unique in how it integrates different concepts (the rotation of the buildings, the tilting of the photovoltaic cover, and the software (with AI)).
We develop both the hardware (the buildings) and software (including AI that allows the building to maximize the production of clean energy, the energy consumption, and also, to adapt its behaviors to the inhabitants’ routines).
In a world where energy demands are still growing, we aim to provide buildings that produce energy for themselves and their associated needs (e.g.: homes/stores that can also supply electric vehicles; Resorts/restaurants that can be self-sufficient; etc.).
Our buildings are intrinsically connected to Nature, following the sun from sunrise to sunset, just like sunflowers, and incorporating sustainable materials such as cork.
We strive for beauty by carefully designing our products, and by looking for new approaches. For example, we integrate the Photovoltaic Panels in the walls of the building itself, and not on top of them, so that they can work as “a skin that protects and nourishes the building”.
We strongly believe in the New European Bauhaus movement, and we would like to take this opportunity to connect with more people who think like us, who can provide feedback, and potentially who can partner with us. This prize would be of great importance for us to reach new destinations.
Kinetic Architecture
Future Buildings
Energy-Positive Buildings
Smart Cities
Intelligent Buildings
Like a Sunflower, the Building In Motion rotates to follow the sun, from east to west.
And like a deciduous tree, whose crown changes with the seasons, Casa Em Movimento also adapts to seasonality, through the movement of the photovoltaic cover, which exposes the windows during the winter, and which protects them, creating shadows during the summer.
At the same time, different views are allowed throughout the day, and different spatial organizations.
According to LNEG (National Laboratory for Energy and Geology), the movements of the Building in Motion allow a reduction in energy needs for air conditioning of the space, of 60% to 80%, plus a 100% gain of natural lighting (as it is possible to keep the windows directed towards sunlight during the whole daytime).
According to data from INEGI (Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering), the energy consumed by the rotation of the building is equivalent to 6 lamps of 60 watts each, turned on for 1 hour. The rotating movement of the photovoltaic cover consumes as much as an iron.
The Smart Store In Motion produces 21.665KWh/year, with energy surpluses enough to power 158 154 km in electric vehicles.
The Building In Motion also allows a reduction in CO2 emissions of 18 tons/year.
Additionally, our Buildings In Motion are designed so that they can be disassembled from one place and rebuilt in another, without leaving any ecological footprint.
“My search continues around a living architecture, with an integrated plastic composition and a strong spatial diversity, which adapts to the routines of those who inhabit it, to the surroundings and to the climate.” Manuel Vieira Lopes, inventor and CEO at Casas Em Movimento.
At Casas Em Movimento, we aim to create buildings that are modern and innovative, while at the same time allowing different architectural approaches, from high-tech to more traditional configurations.
The Building In Motion tries to combine both approaches: a box made of glass and recycled steel, combined with wood and cork.
Cork is material we frequently propose, as it is a renewable raw material, and as it stands out in terms of its thermal and acoustic insulation capabilities and for its aesthetics. Cork is also a highly resistant material, in terms of its ability to retain the aforementioned insulation properties – over 40 years.
Double glazing, with thermal control, was also used to help stabilize the temperature inside.
The movement also behaves as part of the buildings’ aesthetics themselves, by allowing different spatial configurations and different views through the day.
We hope that other architects will also work with our technology, proposing new designs and new kinetic experiences.
We design our buildings for different market segments, but it is our aim to make our technology available to as many people as possible.
The transformation of the Building In Motion into a Store In Motion is an example on how we can use our technology in terms of inclusion: placed in a central space of the city of Matosinhos, the Store In Motion functions as a HUB for electric vehicles. With 5 EV charging points associated to it, users can power their electric vehicles with clean energy (some of it provided by the Building In Motion), while using the interior of the store in motion as a “lounge”, where they can rest or work in the meantime.
Simultaneously, the space serves a store for Iberdrola itself.
On the outside, an LED screen conveys relevant information to the population, some of this information being provided by the municipality.
The Building In Motion is also part of the Living Lab Matosinhos, a project that involves the municipality and other partners such as CEiiA, responsible for the AYR Credits system.
We also accept visits from schools and other organizations, during which we present our technology, and in which we talk about the importance of innovation to find new solutions for the challenges ahead.
It is hoped that with the implementation of this project, citizens will have a greater understanding of the importance of technological innovation and environmental sustainability in the dynamization and development of local communities. A catalyst for the behavioral change of the inhabitants of these communities.
As for us as a company, we aim to bring this technology to the market in many different market segments, from Smart Cities to Tourism and Housing.
With our workflow of optimizations, we hope the costs down, considerably.
We are also interested in working with different companies and people, in different fields such as engineering and architecture.
Given our aim to create a Building In Motion to be implanted on a public space, and its semi-public use, we consulted various entities to gather feedback relevant to our design process.
We also integrated the Living Lab Matosinhos – a program that involves various organizations from both the private and public sector, with the focus on designing new solutions for the Smart Cities.
Additionally, we receive frequent visits from students, from various schools and age levels, during which we promote the importance of innovation to find new solutions for the challenges ahead.
Not everything is perfect though, and we are now using our new insights to improve on our future solutions, mainly in terms of accesses to people with lower mobility, and cost optimizations.
It is our aim to provide our technology in Europe and around the world, and to cooperate with professionals (architects, engineers) from different cultures and countries.
This project add the engagement of various entities, mainly form the Scientific and Technological sector, such as:
- LNEG (National Laboratory for Energy and Geology), which contributed with studies about energy production and consumption of the Building In Motion, to guarantee it was in fact an Energy-Positive Building;
- INEGI (Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering), which helped design and optimize the mechanical structure of the building;
- CEiiA (Centre of Engineering and Product Development), which helped coordinate and integrate the Building In Motion in the project Living Lab Matosinhos;
- Municipality of Matosinhos, which selected the implantation local for the Building In Motion, and which has been providing contents for the LED Outdoor Screen, some of which relate to environmental campaigns on saving water, saving energy, using public transportation, etc.;
- Iberdrola, which add 4 new Electric Vehicle Charging Points, some of them High-Speed, transforming the Building In Motion into a HUB for electric mobility.
Given the nature of this project, the main knowledge field, from within the team, was architecture, mainly the following three concepts:
- Kinetic Architecture: architecture based on movement. In the case of the Building in Motion, the movement of the building itself, which rotates to and tilts the photovoltaic cover to seek the sun throughout the day, to maximize energy use from sun exposure mimicking the phototropic movement of living beings, and creating shading and natural lighting, also allowing different views and different dynamics | space organizations.
- Passive Solar Architecture: architecture based on the importance of the Sun as a source of heat, enabling passive air conditioning of the space and better natural lighting inside.
- Intelligent Architecture: in a future where cities are intelligent, buildings must be as well. Buildings capable of adapting to the needs of the user, the surroundings and climate.
This project also had considerable contribution in the areas of engineering:
- Design and selection of the different materials used not only for the rotation mechanism, but also for the building itself. In this case, our team and Research partners add to consider elements such as longevity, weight, reliability, isolation properties, and circular economy (we prioritize recyclable materials);
- Software development, with focus on Automation Systems and Artificial Intelligence. Our module of Artificial Intelligence allows the Building In Motion to adapt its behavior to the climacteric conditions and to the user’s behavior. One example it’s the ability for the Building to decide whether to turn the Photovoltaic Arrays or the Windows towards the sun, depending on whether it should maximize energy production on natural interior illumination.
These were just the main fields of knowledge involved, as others were relevant too.
The process was done through continuous discussions/sharing of ideas between our team (Casas Em Movimento) and all others.
When we look at nature it is hard not to notice the relevance of the Sun, not only to ourselves, but to all other living beings, being them trees, birds, insects, etc.
However, enclosed in ever-growing urban spaces, it is easy for us, and especially for the younger generations, to forget about the relevance of the Sun.
Before window shutters and alarm clocks, the sun used to make our wake-up call. Before artificial lights, the sun would tell us when to rest.
With our project, we recall people to the importance of the sun and the importance of nature.
Our relation to nature is not only highlighted by the movement towards the Sun, but also by applying natural materials such as cork.
Rotating buildings can have several positive outcomes and impacts in terms of reconnecting to nature and benefiting direct and indirect beneficiaries:
- Increased Energy Efficiency: Rotating buildings can harness the power of the sun to produce clean energy, reducing the need for conventional energy sources and reducing energy costs for the occupants of the building.
- Improved Indoor Climate: By adjusting the orientation of the building, it can be optimized for natural light and ventilation, creating a more comfortable and healthy indoor environment.
- Enhanced Well-being: Studies have shown that exposure to natural light and views of nature can have a positive impact on mental and physical well-being.
- Community Benefits: Rotating buildings can serve as a model for sustainable design and can inspire others to adopt similar practices, benefiting the wider community.
Indirect beneficiaries of rotating buildings could include local residents, the environment, and future generations, who will benefit from reduced energy use and a more sustainable future. The results of building such projects can also inspire future research and development in the field of sustainable design and clean energy production.
Casas Em Movimento is not the first company to design a rotating building, but we have a unique approach, and we aim to make this technology available for as many people as possible.
Not only the buildings in motion rotate to follow the sun, but they can also tilt their photovoltaic cover. The combination of these two movements is indeed unique.
The rotation movement itself is also unique in how it enables the creation of dynamic spaces. In a house it is possible to have a 10 square meter kitchen in the morning, which at the end of the day joins the living room, creating a common area of 40 square meters so that the whole family can be together.
Casas Em Movimento’ goal, since its beginning, has been to design, build and deliver the buildings of the future. We provide buildings that are turnkey, and everything can be controlled with a single APP, from the rotation, to domotics (lights, temperature, …).
Our buildings can have more than one floor, with the lower floors being made of conventional materials, and the upper floor rotating and producing energy for the whole building.
Currently, we are also working on a system of artificial intelligence, which will allow the building to automatically position itself in order to have the best results in terms of efficiency between energy production and energy consumption for acclimatization.
For this project, we combined a series of methodologies:
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: we brought together experts from different fields, such as architecture and various engineering fields (civil; electrical; mechanical, software; etc.).
Circular Economy: we focused on designing a product that minimizes waste and promotes the reuse and recycling of materials. We used recycled steel, which will be able to recycle once again in the future. We also used cork, for the exterior coverings. The whole Building In Motion was designed so that it can be disassembled and assembled somewhere else, without leaving any ecological footprint.
Human-Centered Design: to create something that was useful for the population, we shifted our focus from Houses In Motion (which would be for individual use), to Buildings In Motion, to place on public spaces of Smart Cities, and thus visible and usable by the whole population. Another indication of our Human-Centered Design approach is the fact that the whole building is controllable by the user, which can command the rotation, doors, shutters, lighting, and many other aspects through his smartphone.
Nature-Inspired Design: also a clear one, given that our main inspirations came from nature: the Sun, as a source of clean energy, heat, and light; sunflowers, for their ability to follow the sun thought the day; and deciduous trees, which intelligently adapt to the different seasons.
For the future, we hope to increase our focus a more Democratic Design, emphasizing affordability and accessibility in design, with the goal of making high-quality products accessible to a wider audience. This will require further optimizations to the technology, in which we are currently working.
After a long process of research and development, we were not only able to develop and demonstrate our technology but also to patent it in worldwide.
Now we want to expand this technology for a global scale but we do not expect to do it alone.
We expect to work with entities / people who think like us, and who aspire to join us in this journey to build the future.
Such cooperation can happen in many ways. Through projects involving different partners such as the Living Lab project in Matosinhos, or through projects involving just a single partner.
In commercial projects we can opt for different business models. We can establish contracts with resellers, but we can also license the use of the technology. Right now, this is our focus.
In practical terms, there are two forms of cooperation which we now see as the most relevant:
- Commercial partnerships through technology licensing;
- Research and Development projects for further optimization of the Buildings In Motion, making them more accessible;
Here are some of the challenges that we addressed in this local solution:
- Electric mobility: more than ever it is important to create infrastructure for electric mobility. The Smart Store In Motion functions as a hub for electric vehicles, a space where users can charge their EVs, while working or resting;
- Self-sufficiency: the use of photovoltaic arrays along with the movements, allows for the construction of self-sufficient buildings. The Smart Store In Motion is still connected to the electric grid (which is currently the best solution, as otherwise we would need energy storage systems), but it could be off grid. In fact, off grid solutions can be quite useful for example in segments such as tourism (resorts);
- Cradle to cradle: even though it is a local solution, the “local” can change through its lifecycle (given that the building can be removed and rebuilt somewhere else);
- Construction: based on principles of modular construction, the Smart Store In Motion was built in a factory environment. This allowed the construction in loco to be much faster, as everything was already produced and just needed to be assembled. This provides ample advantages in an urban environment;
Even though the project we are presenting is a local solution, it is our aim to make it a global solution.
