Skyscrapers could become part of the answer to their own emissions problem, the architect firm behind the world’s tallest structure has said. Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP, or “SOM”, the Chicago cooperative that designed Dubai’s 829-metre Burj Khalifa, announced in May it has been partnering over the last year with Energy Vault, a Swiss-based utility-scale energy storage company. The pair have sought to develop systems that effectively turn skyscrapers into batteries, using gravity. The idea could help to mitigate the 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions that result from buildings.
Buildings become batteries
“What if a building could become a battery?” asked SOM, trailing the technology on X. “We’ve partnered with Energy Vault to optimize its gravity energy storage system—where heavy blocks stored high, when released, create energy that can be converted into electricity.”
Together the firms have developed prototypes that can lift massive blocks using electric motors, creating “potential energy” that is converted into power when the blocks are lowered. Their projects have been deployed in both urban environments as well as natural settings.
What if a building could become a battery? We've partnered w/ Energy Vault to optimize its gravity energy storage system—where heavy blocks stored high, when released, create energy that can be converted into electricity
— Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (@SOM_Design) May 30, 2024
Read about it in @Bloomberg → https://t.co/3Jm8mLTqXV pic.twitter.com/MEjTjuXHCs
Energy Vault’s first major installation near Shanghai is in a building about 150 metres tall and can supply up to 25 megawatts of power for four hours. SOM’s skyscraper batteries may see the tech being used in buildings much higher, starting at 300 metres.
Meanwhile SOM has created four storage systems, three utilizing heavy blocks or water. “Two are integrated into hillsides, and the third is a tall, cylindrical tower designed for urban environments, potentially incorporating residential, retail, and office spaces,” SOM’s release said.
A world first for carbon payback
Lauding their new partner’s background in creating some of the world’s most innovative structures, Energy Vault’s chair and CEO, Robert Piconi, said, “Our strategic partnership with SOM opens a new multi-billion dollar market segment for Energy Vault focused on the future of sustainability in new building design and energy efficiency.” The pioneering use of the companies’ technologies and expertise would result, Piconi highlighted, in a world first for accelerated carbon payback in building construction and operation – an impact also emphasised by SOM.
“Since our founding, SOM has pushed the boundaries of architecture and engineering, redefining what buildings can do for cities and communities,” said SOM’s Managing Partner Adam Semel, noting the partnership’s commitment to transitioning the world away from fossil-fuels through renewable energy architecture. “Given the transformative nature of Energy Vault’s technology, we’re especially excited to launch this unique, global partnership.”
