Buildings account for the vast majority of energy that is consumed, easily eclipsing energy used for transportation. While much study has been focused on how green roofs can assist in both insulating and cooling buildings, very little progress has been made in developing systems that work in a similar manner for vertical building elements, such as walls. Our project, titled "HydroWrap," addresses this issue by offering an innovative solution for mediating a new relationship between architecture and the Sun.

HydroWrap is best understood as a living curtain wall that can be hung upon any rail that is secured to a building. The surface is planted with seeds that grow to cover this suspended curtain, diminishing the amount of heat gain that a typical exterior wall would otherwise be subjected to and reducing the overall energy demand of the building. HydroWrap is enabled by recent advancements in hydrogel technology, which would be used to support the growth of the planted seeds instead of soil. The gel is superior at retaining water and resists evaporation. A spun polymer mesh that is reconstituted from recycled plastic bottles is embedded in the gel to reinforce it. It is this polymer mesh that initially binds the translucent material into a cohesive surface. Later, migrating roots also assist in strengthening the hydrogel -- nature improving technology.

We are keen to use the software offered by Dassault Sysemes to examine: material properties and cohesive integration; stress, strength and weight issues; animated growth patterns; and energy transfer.