The sustainability of skyscrapers is an area of great debate and great technological advancement. Sustainability encompasses not only reducing the environmental impact of the structure and it's inhabitants, but also ensuring that the building and its design withstand the test of time as a benefit to the area around it. The information below includes examples of projects that show that skyscrapers can be built following sustainable principles.
The Salesforce Tower, San Francisco
The Salesforce Tower, a 1,070-foot-tall tower, will be the tallest building in San Francisco when it is completed in 2017. The Tower incorporates many features that make it a model of sustainable design. (1)
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Urban Gardening
The technology of urban gardening is rapidly expanding with the goal of utilizing the limited acreage in urban areas to provide fresh food to the large population close by. On a small scale, urban gardening can be carried out on rooftops on any skyscraper. The video to the left is a profile of a landscaping professional that specializes in creating rooftop gardens. (2) |
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On a larger scale, designers are investigating buildings designed specifically to be urban farms. Aprilli Design has designed an Urban Skyfarm that they envision being developed in Seoul, Korea. "Our version of the vertical farm was intended to become an independent, open-to-air structure which would be purely focusing on farming activities and sustainable functions such as generating renewable energy and performing air, and water filtration," say architects Steve Lee and See Yoon Park. (2) The design mimics the shape of a gigantic tree and includes decks that provide 24 acres of space for growing fruit trees, tomatoes and other plants. The "trunk" of the tree houses an indoor hydroponic farm for greens. Solar panels and wind turbines at the top of the tower provide enough energy to power the entire operation. Rainwater would also be captured and filtered through a constructed wetland before returning it to the local water system. (3)
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Connection to the Surrounding Environment
Architects and designers of skyscrapers are increasingly sensitive to creating public spaces at the base of and on the interior of skyscrapers to tie the building to the surrounding area and provide a public benefit to the project. These areas, called Privately-Owned-Public-Spaces (POPS) are becoming more well known as the internet advertises their availability. In New York alone, there are over 500 POPS which are the result of a deal skyscraper developers cut with New York City officials that ensured certain restrictions were relaxed regarding the height of their buildings. As long as developers converted a portion of their building’s lot into privately-owned public space, they were allowed to construct taller buildings with added square footage. (4) Improving the connection between an iconic skyscraper and the surrounding environment is the driving force behind a redesign of the public spaces surrounding the Centre Point building in London, England, one of the city's first skyscrapers. The new pedestrian plaza will surround the base of the 384-foot-high building. The plaza will be surrounded by shops and cafes, and will also integrate an entrance to Tottenham Court Road station, which has been undergoing a major redevelopment as part of the new Crossrail train network. "Our task has been to marry the spirit of the building, with the equally vibrant and creative spirit of London today," said Tim Bower-Ridger of Conran & Partners. "By addressing the way the tower meets the ground, it will now be able to fully engage with its context within the cultural heart of this world city." (5) |
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Energy Generation Systems
Designers of skyscrapers are incorporating energy generation systems in the initial project design. Solar panels, wind turbines, and water reclamation systems are all examples of systems that are becoming standard features of new design. Retrofitting existing skyscrapers for energy generation is also a viable option. This takes us back to the original skyscraper, the Eiffel Tower, which is now greener than ever. (6) A combination of wind turbines, water turbines and solar panels now provide a portion of the energy needed to power the Tower's lighting and support systems. (7)
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1. See, S. "Sustainability with a View". Proceedings of CTBUH 2014 Shanghai Conference, Shanghai, Sept. 2014, Web. 1 Mar. 2015
2. Gardening on Top of Skyscrapers. Perf. Brook Klausing. Profiles in Design, 2012. Film.
3. "This Tree-Shaped Farm-On-A-Skyscraper Could Bring Acres Of Crops Into The City." Co.Exist. Fast Company, 2 July 2014. Web. 1 Mar. 2015. <http://www.fastcoexist.com/3032379/this-tree-shaped-farm-on-a-skyscraper-could-bring-acres-of-crops-into-the-city?partner=newsletter#4>.
4. Kraemer, Zachary. "Mapping Tool Reveals All Of NYC's Secret Public Spaces - PSFK." PSFK. INNOVATION, 29 Oct. 2012. Web. 1 Mar. 2015. <http://www.psfk.com/2012/10/mapping-tool-privately-owned-public-spaces.html>.
5. Frearson, Amy. "Work Starts on Public Plaza beneath Richard Seifert's Centre Point." De Zeen 27 Jan. 2015. Print.
6. Upadhyay, Anand. "Eiffel Tower Now Greener Than Ever." CleanTechnica. 13 Oct. 2014. Web. 1 Mar. 2015. <http://cleantechnica.com/2014/10/13/eiffel-tower-now-greener-ever>.
7. ."Eiffel Tower Is Getting Upgraded; Are Your Ready For This?" YouTube. Valhalla Movement, 25 Feb. 2015. Web. 1 Mar. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZgAckiTxlE>.
2. Gardening on Top of Skyscrapers. Perf. Brook Klausing. Profiles in Design, 2012. Film.
3. "This Tree-Shaped Farm-On-A-Skyscraper Could Bring Acres Of Crops Into The City." Co.Exist. Fast Company, 2 July 2014. Web. 1 Mar. 2015. <http://www.fastcoexist.com/3032379/this-tree-shaped-farm-on-a-skyscraper-could-bring-acres-of-crops-into-the-city?partner=newsletter#4>.
4. Kraemer, Zachary. "Mapping Tool Reveals All Of NYC's Secret Public Spaces - PSFK." PSFK. INNOVATION, 29 Oct. 2012. Web. 1 Mar. 2015. <http://www.psfk.com/2012/10/mapping-tool-privately-owned-public-spaces.html>.
5. Frearson, Amy. "Work Starts on Public Plaza beneath Richard Seifert's Centre Point." De Zeen 27 Jan. 2015. Print.
6. Upadhyay, Anand. "Eiffel Tower Now Greener Than Ever." CleanTechnica. 13 Oct. 2014. Web. 1 Mar. 2015. <http://cleantechnica.com/2014/10/13/eiffel-tower-now-greener-ever>.
7. ."Eiffel Tower Is Getting Upgraded; Are Your Ready For This?" YouTube. Valhalla Movement, 25 Feb. 2015. Web. 1 Mar. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZgAckiTxlE>.