Some call it hype, some call it a passing fad but everywhere, architects around the world are giving high priority to the green agenda in their creations. One cannot deny that sustainability is the way forward as it could spell the survival of our rapidly declining earth.

More and more green structures are dotting the skylines around the globe. From homes to public buildings, from Netherlands to China, innovative and creative sustainable building designs and characteristics are being injected into our built environment.
Some are more energy-efficient or eco-friendly than others but these buildings, be they completed, under construction or on the drawing board, can serve to inspire the building design and construction world in our quest to make the world a little less grey.
Let’s check out some notable designs around the globe.

1. WWF headquarters, Netherlands
The WWF Netherlands head office in Zeist was completed in 2006. It is the first Co2-neutral, almost entirely self-sufficient office building in the country. This is a renovation project by RAU Architects, which turned the former agricultural laboratory built in 1954 into a sustainable building. The building was stripped but the existing concrete skeleton was retained.

Environment-friendly or recycled materials were used including bricks made from local river clay, mud ceiling plaster, Forest Stewardship Certified (FSC) wood, carpets from recycled old carpets and doormats from recycled jeans. In line with WWF’s conservation goals, nesting habitats have been created on the façade and basement of the building offering breeding spaces for birds and bats.

The building features roof-mounted photovoltaics and a capillary heating and cooling system. A 16-well geothermal system kicks in during extreme temperatures.


2. The Palm Jebel Ali, Dubai
The Palm Jebel Ali project designed by Broadway Malyan is on the famous Palm Islands in Dubai. Currently, at the design development stage, it takes the cue from motorcycle engines in the understanding that the fins help dissipate heat away from the building, yet provide shade. The residential building is profiled to reduce the impact of the Gulf Stream winds, and is raised up to provide cross ventilation of the green recreational garden. The buildings are also orientated to minimise solar impact whilst affording sea views. Half of the grey water is recyclable. In Kuala Lumpur, Broadway Malyan has also designed a new 40-storey sustainable tower called Vertices



(2a), comprising offices and convenience retail with mid-level recreational sky garden and rooftop gallery and bar. It also draws inspiration from the motorcycle engine by employing fins to help dissipate heat away from the building. The building’s streamlined profile helps reduce wind loads to the structure while deep floor plates offer sun protection. Solar energy will be harnessed to pump water through the building and 50% grey water will be collected and recycled to irrigate landscape vegetation and for flushing of WCs.


3. The Lighthouse, Dubai
Architectural firm Atkins is responsible for the sustainable design of the 400-metre Lighthouse Tower, located at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). It aspires to be a LEED platinum-rated low-carbon commercial building, which aims to reduce its total energy consumption by up to 65% and water consumption by up to 35% than the current Dubai standard design.


Currently at the detailed design stage, the 64-storey tower will sit above a 2-storey podium and a leisure deck with health club, swimming pool, executive lounge and cultural spaces. Design provisions include passive solar architecture, low-energy and low-water engineering solutions, recovery strategies for both energy and water and integrated renewables and photovoltaic panels within the façade. Among the proposals are a digital lighting system with daylight and movement sensors to reduce energy consumption, grey water recycling, flow restrictors on taps and showers as well as low-flushing WCs along with waterless urinals.


4. Linked Hybrid, China

Another iconic building nearing completion in Beijing, China, is the Linked Hybrid complex comprising 750 apartments, public green spaces, commercial zones, hotel, cinema, kindergarten, school, and underground parking. Spanning over 220,000 sq m, geothermal wells (660 at 100m deep) provide the Linked Hybrid with cooling in summer and heating in winter, making it one of the largest green residential projects in the world aiming at LEED Gold rating.

The pedestrian-oriented complex designed by Steven Holl Architects provides open passages on the ground level and public roof gardens on the intermediate level. At the top of the eight residential towers, private roof gardens are connected to the penthouses. All public functions on the ground level — including a restaurant, hotel, Montessori school, kindergarten, and cinema — are connected to the green spaces surrounding and penetrating the project. From the 12th to the 18th floor, a multi-functional series of skybridges with a swimming pool, a fitness room, a café, a gallery, auditorium and a mini salon connect the eight residential towers and the hotel tower.


5. Z6 House, USA
Z6 House is the first home to be awarded the Platinum rating in Residential Sustainable Design by the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System for Homes Program. Designed by architect Ray Kappe, it is the home of property developer LivingHomes’ CEO and founder Steve Glenn. Z6 or “Six zeroes” describe the environmental goals of the project: zero waste, zero energy, zero water, zero carbon, zero emissions, and zero ignorance. It is also the model house for LivingHomes’ residential products. Constructed of factory-built modules, the house was installed onsite in less than a day. The bulk of the home’s energy is produced by on-site photovoltaics. Water is reclaimed using an integrated stormwater management and grey water recycling system.

A rooftop garden diverts stormwater and alleviates heat. Energy-efficient electrical items are used. Movable walls and modular millwork allows for easy addition and reconfiguration of space and for easier disassembling and reuse in the future. The home also features low-volatile organic compound paints and stains, an indoor garden, Forest Stewardship Certified) wood and recycled materials including recycled paper-based countertops, recycled glass tiles, recycled porcelain tiles and recycled denim insulation. Through key partnerships with companies equally committed to sustainable design, the home uses organic bedding and linen, water-efficient fixtures, recycled glass countertops and an energy-efficient spa.


6. City Hall, Greater London

Designed by Foster + Partners, City Hall, Greater London Authority headquarters houses the London Assembly and the offices of the mayor and staff of the Greater London Authority.

Completed in 2005, the building’s tilted form ensures optimum energy performance by minimising the surface area exposed to direct sunlight. Analysis of sunlight patterns throughout the year produced a thermal map of the building’s surface. The building leans back so that its floor-plates step inwards, providing shade for the naturally ventilated offices. Cooling systems utilise ground water pumped up through boreholes from the water table. Overall, City Hall uses just a quarter of the energy consumed by a typical air-conditioned office building.


7. The Hearst Tower, New York, USA
Completed in 2006, the 46-storey Hearst Tower was the first occupied commercial building in New York City to achieve a LEED gold rating.

The Hearst headquarters floats above an existing 6-storey Art Deco building. The key sustainable features of the Foster + Partners-designed building include rainwater harvesting and reuse for the grand lobby’s water feature. The diagrid shape of the frame shrinks the amount of steel required by 21%. Of the steel used, 90% is recycled. When fully optimised, the building consumes 22% less energy than a code-compliant building. Outside air is used for cooling and ventilation for 75% of the year, thus reducing the cooling load. Natural light is maximised while incorporating intelligent lighting systems.


8. Bahrain World Trade Centre, Qatar
The Atkins-designed Bahrain World Trade Center (BWTC) features wind turbines which began rotating in April 2008. They are the first wind turbines in the world to be integrated into a large-scale commercial development. It is estimated to produce 11% to 15% of the power needed to operate the offices of the 50-storey twin towers. The sail-shaped towers channel the strong onshore winds directly onto the three spinning blades.
 











 

9. The Christiaan Huygens College, Netherlands
Another sustainable building by RAU Architects is the Christiaan Huygens College in Eindhoven which will be completed in late 2010. It is the first CO2-neutral and energy-producing school in The Netherlands. The energy surplus it produces will be shared with the adjacent gym and a residential complex across the street.



This article appeared in City & Country Special Focus, the property pullout of The Edge Malaysia, Issue 760, June 22 - 28, 2009.

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