Biodome Engineering Summary

The Biodome is envisioned as a green infrastructure showcase demonstrating transparent solar panels, water conservation with a rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, green roofs, green walls, pollutant reduction bioremediation strategies, and passive solar heating and evaporation cooling for thermoregulation. The green infrastructure innovations of the Biodome will give people a positive experience of the options that are available for a better future. 
The features below are linked to full explanation documents.

The Biodome -- is a technological innovation brining in 20% more light through its larger panels than a conventional greenhouse and supporting a forest canopy height with no needed internal columns. It provides a natural space where the walls go up out of sight out of mind. It’s low stress structural stability and extremely durable construction materials guarantee a century of low maintenance use.

Transparent Solar Panels -- integrated into the south face of the dome. Three different bands become progressively darker toward the peak providing increased summer shading and year round power output. The north entry building accompanying the dome also has standard solar panels on the roof for real time power output comparisons of five different types of commercial product lines.

Evapotranspiration Cooling/ Passive Solar Heating --Summertime comfort inside the dome is maintained by the up and out air flow, venting heat and humidity at the top of the dome while inflowing air at the base of the dome is cooled by evaporation from the plants and waterfalls. Low angle winter sun heat is stored by the thermal masses of the pond and the rock face cliff, which are shaded by palm trees to avoid heat absorption in the summer.

Rainwater Harvesting/ Graywater Recycling -- Water management on the site harvests rainwater, processing it for irrigating the tropical garden. Runoff and any pollution transport is prevented from reaching nearby rivers. The facility’s graywater is also recycled for internal use.

Soil Salinization Prevented -- The open ring, insulated foundation allows subsoil water infiltration to mitigate salinization of the soil, enhancing the low-solute rainwater in maintaining verdant growth of the garden.