Construction and engineering of a created environment: Overview of the Biosphere 2 closed system
Abstract
Biosphere 2 is a 1.27 ha virtually airtight environmental research facility located in Oracle, AZ. In this paper we emphasize material selection, super-structure, and sealing and testing methods to maintain a materially closed environment with a leak rate of ≈10% volumetric exchange per year, a specification some 1000 times the commercial building industry standard. The capability to sustain closure was demonstrated over a period of ∼3 years with human inhabitants reflecting one of the most unique and sophisticated structural features of the facility distinguishing it from large greenhouses and phytotrons. A brief introduction to the diverse structures of the enclosed mesocosms is given including the wilderness and human-occupied areas. Key mechanical and electrical systems are summarized and recent modifications affecting the operation of Biosphere 2 as a closed system are described.
- Publication:
-
Ecological Engineering
- Pub Date:
- January 1999
- DOI:
- 10.1016/S0925-8574(98)00091-3
- Bibcode:
- 1999EcEng..13...43Z
- Keywords:
-
- Biosphere 2;
- Biospherics;
- Closed system construction;
- Closed system glazing