Solar Powered 3D Printed Structure

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) working in partnership with the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has created a solar powered, 3D-printed, polymer structure. A closed-loop battery system links it with a vehicle designed by Oak Ridge, which was made using the same technology. The project was developed as a prototype for an initiative called the Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy (AMIE), which aims to foster new ways of thinking about the generation, storage and usage of electrical power. The prototype is meant to show how energy can be shared between a building and a motorised vehicle. It was presented at the International Builders' Show in Las Vegas, which took place January 19-21, 2016.

The structure measures 38 feet long (11.6 metres) by 12 feet high (3.7 metres) by 12 feet wide (3.7 metres). Solar panels are integrated into the roof and feed a battery under the building, which in turns powers the structure at night. The 3D-printed vehicle generates its own power using a hybrid electric system. Both the pavilion and the car share power with each other through a wireless system, in which power is transmitted via electromagnetic fields, and is then captured and distributed by a receiving device. Utilizing advanced manufacturing and rapid innovation, it only took one year from concept to launch.

AMIE was created in partnership with the University of Tennessee and several private companies. The project is meant to serve as a model for sustainable urban development. For more information visit the AMIE website.