From Guest Blogger Rupert: 5 Of The World’s Greenest Commercial Buildings
As the clock turns and the world churns ever onward into the future, there is a rising tide of consciousness for the necessity of environmentally sound business practices. Though these green initiatives take a wide variety of forms, there are a host of new commercial buildings being constructed to be ecologically sound. These jolly green giants are making a name for themselves in the world of corporate responsibility through the adherence to strict environmental guidelines.
Bank Of America Tower – New York
In the realm of sustainable commercial structures, the Bank of America Tower in New York City reigns as the current head. This amazing feat of responsible planning rests on Sixth Avenue across from Bryant Park and is the third largest building in the city. Its 55 storeys are fully decked out from top to bottom with insulated glazing that lets light in and keeps heat trapped. The building also utilizes a greywater reclamation system that collects rainwater and purifies it and converts it for use in the building. In addition, the Bank of America Tower not only filters incoming air, but also re-filters it before sending it back out into the city.
India Tower – Mumbai
India is the second most populous country in the world, and with its densely crowded cities is no stranger to the necessity of creating more sustainable buildings. Mumbai in particular is the most populous city in the nation, ranking in fourth on the globe and is the proposed site for a supertall skyscraper to serve as a rallying point for a cleaner city. This tower will be a multi-use space that will be subdivided between retail, residential, office, and recreational spaces and will utilize the cutting edge of technology to optimize use of daylight and rainwater as well as utilizing as much recycled material as possible for its construction, as well as its interior design.
Masdar – Abu Dhabi
Nestled in the sands of the largest of the United Arab Emirates, is a planned development that will become the name synonymous with sustainability – Masdar City. This mega-development in Abu Dhabi will rely entirely upon solar and other forms of renewable energy, and will be planned with a zero-emission and zero-waste structure. The city will prohibit any personal cars and every location will be within 200 metres of public transit. The city will also be entirely self-sustaining with its own series of farms and plantations.
Transbay Tower – San Francisco
The San Francisco Transbay Terminal has just begun a green makeover when ground was broken for the construction of the new Transbay Tower on 1st and Mission. This supertall skyscraper is set to become the new tallest building in the city and become part of her iconic skyline. Its 61 floors will be powered by wind turbines on the roof and is carefully designed to utilize the power of the sun to reduce energy demand.
DuBiotech – Dubai
Dubai has made quite the name for themselves in recent years by making the biggest, best, and brightest buildings the world has ever seen. Whether it is the innovative architecture or flourishing real estate market – see here – Dubai continues to lead the way with its design initiatives. This ambitious emirate is throwing its hat into the ring of green construction with its proposed development of DuBiotech. This 60,000 square foot complex will be comprised of two towers linked together to resemble DNA. It is intended for use by research laboratories and will contain a 500,000 square foot nature preserve on site at the complex. The design will be specially calibrated to maximize daylight while blocking out heat and keeping its floors cool.
While we continue to grow ever more interdependent upon each other for resources and commerce, it is becoming increasingly crucial to utilize our natural resources effectively. Though these are but a few of the many green initiatives being undertaken by cities and corporations everywhere, they are a shining example of the direction that we should begin moving in.
