Algae - Could it be the World's future energy source? The IBA Hamburg in Germany unites 60 eco-friendly projects on the same site and showcases the world's first building getting its energy from algae.

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In 2013 the German city of Hamburg hosted the International Building Exhibition, the IBA. Seven years in the making the exhibition wasn't just about showcasing innovative buildings it was about regeneration of a relatively poor neighborhood in the city with sustainable living in mind.

So what innovation was showcased here that made it such a success? First up there was Wood Cube, a five-story carbon-neutral apartment block constructed almost entirely from wood, and gets its power solely from photo-voltaic panels.

The IBA showcased a world first. The BIQ, a building with its own bio-reactor that runs entirely off Algae. The sun-facing sides of this structure are covered with water tanks where algae bask in the light. What happens next is truly innovative. The system's designer, Martin Kerner, gives an inside look at his groundbreaking bio-reactor.

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