The high-tech roof relies on leaf-shaped structures to harvest both wind and solar energy

Jan 20, 2012 07:39 GMT  ·  By

Nowadays, climate change is considered one of the biggest threats to humankind. In order to tackle the effects of this alarming phenomenon, governments, companies and creative architects do everything in their power to draw up and implement innovative solutions.

So far, experts reached the conclusion that roofs built with sustainable heat-retaining materials, solar panels and green rooftops play an important part in making homes energy-efficient and disaster-resistant.

Following this path, the biggest challenge is to create a new generation of homes, self-sustaining and, therefore, grid-independent.

Solar panels are a major asset for homeowners eager to pay less for what they use. However, these features are not powerful enough to guarantee energy independence on their own.

As a result, Wooho Park has launched the Energy Roof, hoping to bring a new useful concept under the spotlight to tackle climate change and give the green light to financial savings, at the same time.

Just like any other roof, it protects the urban buildings from bad weather, but it also generates a significant amount of energy.

According to Design Buzz, the innovative prototype "uses solar ivy which is fitted with piezo photovoltaic panels in conjunction with super-hydrophobic metal and green roof technology to provide a new generation solution to roofing."

The eco-friendly roof has three different layers. The first one is solar ivy that could mark the beginning of a new trend on the market of solar products. It represents a series of nature-inspired leaf-shaped PV panels whose manufacturing process involves the usage of piezoelectric material.

The leaves act like high-tech, super-efficient energy collectors and can harness both wind and solar power for optimal results. Meanwhile, it can also collect rainwater. The entire structure, looking like a giant branch, stores the amount of energy collected by the leaves and redirects it to a battery.

The second layer in made of hydrophobic metal and prevents ice from forming on the roof. The third layer is a water-harvesting garden considered a super-efficient air purifier.

At this point in time, the project launched by Wooho Park is still far from being implemented, but if it were to be adopted on a large scale, it would definitely generate a few beneficial changes, making urban buildings eco-friendly and energy-independent all across the Globe.