The ‘Dragon’ Stadium in Kaohsiung will be the first stadium in the world to be entirely powered by the sun. The stadium has been built in preparation of the World Games which are due to be held in July 2009. As impressive as it is, when the stadium is not under use, energy collected from it’s 8,844 solar panels will be used to generate electricity for the local area.
Read on after the jump
The following is taken from the Weird Asia Blog:
Dragons show up everywhere in traditional Chinese culture. There are dragon robes and dragon boats; fengshui practitioners tell of dragons that nestle in the earth and influence the flow of energy. The Mandarin term for “lobster” is longxia (“dragon shrimp”), while “dinosaur” translates as konglong, “fearsome dragon.”
There’s nothing old-fashioned about the Chinese world’s latest dragon, though. Dramatic, beautiful, and innovative, this new dragon-shaped sports stadium in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung is the largest in Asia to be powered solely by sunlight.
Electrical power is not the structure’s only “green” feature. Japanese architect Toyo Ito also incorporated permeable pavement, recycled materials, and strategic alignment to take advantage of wind and shade.
Fengshui principles came into play too, to help ensure that this gigantic dragon would function in beneficial ways.
Not surprisingly, such a beast is costly to feed. The stadium’s pioneering features called for more than the usual amount of testing and research, resulting in a price tag of $150 million.
Once it starts generating power, however, this imposing new dragon will begin earning that money back—and all without moving a muscle.
Source: Taiwans Dragon Stadium Turns Sunshine into Power
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