The Beijing "Water Cube" and its green "bubble-wrap" technology

Wed Aug 20, 2008 2:51PM EDT

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The Beijing National Aquatics Center has been the centerpiece of this year's Olympic games, but it isn't only because of Michael Phelp's unbelievable 8-gold-medal-winning performance.

It's the bubbles.

Although it may be visually stunning to the many visitors worldwide (especially at night), the Water Cube's bubbly exterior showcases some of the latest in green technology that is currently being used to save significant amounts of energy.

Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) is a light-weight polymer foil, around 250-microns thick, that is stretched thin and then folded to create giant air pockets that let light pass through while trapping and storing heat. 3,000 of these air bubbles have been created (roughly 30 feet in diameter and 10 feet deep in the center) and are organized into three layers for use in the walls of the Bejing National Aquatics Center.

"It is like very sophisticated bubble wrap," said Annette LeCuyer, an architecture professor at the University at Buffalo (via LiveScience.com). "What you end up with is a very thick wall that is mostly made of air," LeCuyer said. "It acts like a duvet blanket."

So where do we find the energy savings? According to Vector Foiltec, a glass building would take 200 times more energy to fabricate and construct when compared to an EFTE building. Additionally, according to LeCuyer, the "bubble wrap" provides the same amount of insulation as two layers of triple-glaze glass. LeCuyer adds that a glass building would cost twice as much to construct, due to the extra framework required to support the much heavier glass.

Other advantages over standard glass is that it is fire-resistant and also shatter-proof, and since it is non-stick, dirt, dust, and other foreign elements can be easily washed away with rain. 

So what's next for EFTE? A sports stadium, leisure parks, and apparently a giant indoor Amazonian rainforest in Iowa are currently in the works.  With all the advantages and unique design implementations that EFTE has to offer, expect this new green technology to have a very bright future in the coming years.

Source: LiveScience.com - How Bubble Wrap Could Power the Future

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  • 6 Posted by fredmackey on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:03PM EDT Report Abuse

    Having visited Beijing a few weeks ago after my lucky wife won a trip sponsored by Visa, all I can say is WOW. The gardens of the Olympic village were only over shadowed by the colorful affects buildings every evening. The city was clean, peaceful and beautiful. The people were helpful, kind, courteous - wonderful! China should receive another gold metal for presentation!

  • 7 Posted by fredmackey on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:03PM EDT Report Abuse

    Having visited Beijing a few weeks ago after my lucky wife won a trip sponsored by Visa, all I can say is WOW. The gardens of the Olympic village were only over shadowed by the colorful affects buildings every evening. The city was clean, peaceful and beautiful. The people were helpful, kind, courteous - wonderful! China should receive another gold metal for presentation!

  • 8 Posted by shawnmmhotsk8 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:18PM EDT Report Abuse

    This building is so cool, it was the first thing that caught my eye while watching the olympics, and it gave me an idea. I am wanting to build a 3 sheet ice rink facility consisting of one olympic size rink 125 ft by 225 ft, a hockey regulation size rink of 80ft by 200 ft, and one small training rink. The cost of lighting is expensive, so if this could work with out causing my ice to melt then i'd like to use a building design like this. Instead of the soap bubble design i'd like mine to look like clear ice cubes, then instead of calling it the water cube i can call it the ice cube.

  • 9 Posted by shawnmmhotsk8 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:18PM EDT Report Abuse

    This building is so cool, it was the first thing that caught my eye while watching the olympics, and it gave me an idea. I am wanting to build a 3 sheet ice rink facility consisting of one olympic size rink 125 ft by 225 ft, a hockey regulation size rink of 80ft by 200 ft, and one small training rink. The cost of lighting is expensive, so if this could work with out causing my ice to melt then i'd like to use a building design like this. Instead of the soap bubble design i'd like mine to look like clear ice cubes, then instead of calling it the water cube i can call it the ice cube.

  • 11 Posted by leo_lastnameliu on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    Beijing is a beautiful place, as a Chinese. I am proud for my motherland. And wellcome all the friends come to beijing.and we can be good friends no country difference.

  • 12 Posted by thepopular1tx on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:04PM EDT Report Abuse

    Am I the only one that noticed Beijing was spelled wrong? A few times...

  • 14 Posted by cl_gal999 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    Ah...the author got it right the first time (ETFE) then misspelled it twice (EFTE). Eh, minor details... I guess not a lot of people are familiar with the Eden Project in England, which uses the exact same material. I would like to see pictures on how the "water cube" was put together, though =D

  • 15 Posted by remilliard2000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    Maybe I don't get it, but it seems as though this material could be popped with a BB gun or a slingshot. Am I wrong?

  • 16 Posted by lilxzhouyu on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    re: #5 Zulzm thats retarded, same thing would happen to a glass building

  • 17 Posted by doktordesmo on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    As far as i know its very durable, able to withstand Beijing's sand storms, hard rains, hails and even the changing climates occuring. Its a new concept for Architecture although there were at least 3-4 structures before the water cube thats been using this technology in buildings. The difference is that this is really getting good publicity and for really good reasons. Hands up to the designers and builders of the water cube!

  • 18 Posted by deathroadruler on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:39PM EDT Report Abuse

    Beijing really is spelled incorrectly in this article, but typos are made all the time. As for the bullet/needle to pop it, I'm pretty sure it's been taken into consideration during its construction, otherwise, why would they make this building. It probably is reinforced somehow. As for someone who wants to try to "pop" it, they'd be pretty danged stupid if they wanna get in trouble with authorities.

  • 21 Posted by smchudson on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:28PM EDT Report Abuse

    couldn't we just poke it with a stick and watch it deflate?

  • 24 Posted by smth_mj on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:30PM EDT Report Abuse

    What are they going to do with this wonderful building after the olympics?

  • 25 Posted by mra242 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene? Doesn't sound too green to me. What about the wind loads? Hurricane proof?

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