In the world of skyscrapers, the term ‘rotating buildings’ usually conjures up images of extreme forms of architecture such as the Pinnacle in London and the John Hancock Tower in Chicago. These types of building are rare because they require a large, central foundation that provides stability; all else is secondary. However, there are many buildings that resemble rotating gyroscopes with one or more axis being rotated to follow the sun throughout the day. In this article we will explore how water is managed on rotating buildings, who manages it and how it is managed. We will also look at some different strategies used by a variety of companies to deal with these challenges.
What is a Rotating Building?
A rotating building is an eco-friendly form of housing that consists of a series of self-contained units, built on a rotisserie production line. These units are designed for rapid changeover of occupants, and are generally built for people who need a quick and easy way to access production facilities. The concept of rotating buildings sounds even more exotic than it is. In fact, the concept of a vertical eco-town is decades old, with the first high-rise eco-town, Ivybridge, UK, built in 1985.
In the past decade, interest in environmentally friendly high-rise housing has grown exponentially, and a variety of new technologies have been developed to bring this concept to reality. In the context of water management, the most important factor for any vertical community is the height of the structure. If you don’t worry too much about the design and just want to put up a high building, you can find a loophole in local building regulations that would allow you to mass-produce an eco-friendly apartment block. But if you want your vertical eco-town to be sustainable and energy-efficient, the size of your property is going to be a huge factor.
Water Management Systems for Rotating Buildings
The first thing to know about building water management systems on a rotating building is that you need to decide how to store the water. There are two options: a rooftop tank, or a sump/well system. A rooftop tank system is the most common and works by installing a tank on a roof or in a basement underneath the property. This tank is filled with water, either from an existing water source (in which case you need a pump to move the water) or from a tank truck.
The tank is generally operated by solar power or a generator. When the tank is empty, it can be refilled using the same method. The next step is to determine how the water will be distributed. The most basic system is a centralized water delivery. This is where you have one pipe that is connected to a central water storage tank at the top of the property, and where all the water is distributed through pipes in each building. The next level of sophistication is a distributed water system, where each building has its own piping and a separate water storage tank. This is often called a soft water system, since the water is softened before it’s distributed to each building.
A hard water system will use a central water storage tank and piping that brings the water to each building. Each building then has its own piping that distributes the water to each tap and toilet.
![Rotating Building](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2017/02/17/15/rotating-skyscraper.png?width=1200)
Rooftop Tank System
A rooftop tank system has advantages for both the owners of the building and the occupants. The owners of the building can save on energy costs because the tank doesn’t have to be heated or cooled. And the occupants get the benefits of not having to buy water from a water company or make up their own water supply, as they don’t have to monitor or maintain the system.
Above all, rooftop tanks are convenient. It’s essentially like having a water tap in the wall, and it means you don’t have to worry about water quality or the source of the water. The only downside is that tank systems generate significant amounts of heat, which means the building has to be designed to take it into account.
Soft Water System
A soft water system is a great choice for a rotating building because it’s low maintenance and doesn’t require treatment. The water is softened with a chemical so that it can be used for cleaning and laundering, and for the distribution of water to each building. There are two main types of soft water systems: centralized and decentralized. In a centralized system, water is pumped from a central storage tank to all the plumbing in the building. In a decentralised system, each building has its own tank and piping, and the water is distributed using a valve in each building.
Hard Water System
A hard water system is the most expensive and energy-intensive option for water management on a rotating building, but it can be designed to be extremely efficient. The advantage of a hard water system is that it’s designed to use the specific characteristics of the water, such as the hardness level or the mineral content. This means the water is only used for a single purpose and doesn’t need to be softened, which saves a significant amount of energy. Hard water systems are generally run with a separate water source, such as a well or a desalination plant. Since they rely on different sources of water, they can be designed to be extremely energy-efficient.
Rotating Water Tanks on Buildings
Depending on the building and its location, the rotation of a building might be based on the sun’s path through the sky or its magnetic orientation. The rotation of a skyscraper can be defined as a ‘rotation about a single axis’, whereas a planet’s rotation around its axis is a rotation about a single point. If a building needs to be oriented to follow the sun’s path, it will also need sufficient area to follow the arc of the Earth’s path. Water storage tanks are the most common type of rotating component on a skyscraper. These tanks are designed to be flexible so that they can easily be rotated along with the building. Depending on the size and position of the tank, the rotation might be upwards or downwards. In either case, the rotation helps to distribute the capacity of the tank across the building and allows for optimal use of the system for all customers.
Rotating pools
By far the most common type of rotating component found on a skyscraper is a pool or swimming pool. These pools are typically installed on the 47th or 58th floors of a building. The pool is constantly rotating, although the speed is variable depending on the taste of the occupants (or the occupancy) and the weather outside. In most cities, there are building regulations that govern the size of the pool and the amount of water that can be used. In addition, some cities have regulations that dictate when and how a pool can be used. For example, a pool on the roof or a pool that is turned towards the street may not be allowed.
Rotating Wells
The second most common type of rotating component found on a skyscraper is a well. These are typically installed on the ground floor, with a pump and control system located in the basement. The water from the well is either pumped directly to the roof or to an elevated tank, usually on the roof. In this way, the building does not have to manage the flow of water itself. The city of Phoenix, Arizona has an interesting system where the ground floor of the building is a restaurant, but the roof is an elevated swimming pool. Customers can eat while they swim, while the water they are swimming in comes from a well within the basement of the building.
Rotating Storage Tanks
The last type of rotating component found on a skyscraper is a storage tank. These tanks are typically found at a higher level than the rest of the building, often on the roof. The primary purpose of a rotating storage tank is to store water, which can be used for non-potable purposes or transferred to a different tank at a different location. A commonly found type of rotating storage tank is the ‘balloon tank’, which is a large plastic bag filled with water. When it is filled, the water is pressurized and the bag is placed on the roof. When it is empty, it is deflated and stored on the roof.
Rotating Filter Beds
A common way to rotate the water delivery system on a skyscraper is to install a filter bed. These filter beds are usually installed on the roof and are filled with gravel that is intended to reduce the flow of contaminants through the system. When it is full, the filter is emptied and emptied, and then filled with gravel.
Conclusion
In this article we explored how water is managed on rotating buildings, who manages it and how it is managed. We will also look at some different strategies used by a number of companies to deal with these challenges. For more information on the latest trends in water management on rotating buildings, the reader is encouraged to attend any of the upcoming online training courses offered by Aquamax.