4 of the world's most sustainable buildings
Sustainability is increasingly a major concern for both the general population and businesses. To address this issue, many architects, engineers, and building owners have been exploring new ways to design and construct sustainable buildings.
In this article from Arquitendências, we will highlight four of the most sustainable buildings in the world. These structures not only reduce energy consumption, but also have a positive impact on the environment, the economy and the well-being of the inhabitants of the cities where they are located.
These buildings serve as inspiration for those seeking to create a more sustainable future.
Shanghai Tower - Shanghai, China
The Shanghai Tower is a historic skyscraper located in the heart of Shanghai, China's largest city. It is the third tallest building in the world, with a height of 632 meters.
The tower was designed with sustainability in mind, and incorporates a number of features and technologies to reduce its environmental impact and promote efficient use of resources.
One of the Shanghai Tower's most notable sustainable features is the integrated rainwater harvesting and reuse system, which captures this water and uses it for irrigation, toilet flushing, and other non-potable uses. This helps conserve water resources and reduce the building's overall demand for fresh water.
The tower also makes use of energy-efficient lighting and heating/cooling systems, and is equipped with high-performance insulation to reduce energy consumption. In addition, it features a double curtain wall system that helps regulate the building's temperature and improve energy efficiency.
Those responsible for the project also made use of sustainable building materials, such as recycled steel and concrete, and incorporated green spaces, such as roof gardens. This helps to promote biodiversity and reduce the building's overall carbon footprint.
The Shanghai Tower is an excellent example of sustainable and environmentally conscious building design. Through its integration of water conservation, energy efficiency, and sustainable materials, it sets a high bar for sustainable design in the built environment.
Museum of Tomorrow - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is a world-renowned museum that was also designed with sustainability in mind. The building's unique architecture, combined with its environmentally conscious design and technology, make this museum a true model of sustainability.
One of the main sustainable features of the Museum of Tomorrow is the use of renewable energy. The building is equipped with a large photovoltaic system that generates electricity from solar energy, and also uses wind turbines to generate additional power. Not only does this help reduce the building's overall carbon footprint, but also its dependence on non-renewable energy sources.
In addition, the Museum of Tomorrow is designed to maximize natural light, which helps reduce energy consumption and improve the building's overall energy efficiency.
Like the Shanghai Tower, this building also makes use of rainwater harvesting and reuse systems, incorporates green spaces such as a roof garden, and uses sustainable building materials such as recycled steel and concrete for a more sustainable future.
Through its innovative design, use of renewable energy, and focus on sustainable building practices, the Museum of Tomorrow is undoubtedly an inspiring example in the field of sustainable architecture.
Pixel Building - Melbourne, Australia
The Pixel Building project consists of a single four-story building in Melbourne, Australia, with an impressive array of sustainable design technology and innovation.
The ambitious goal for the Pixel Building was for it to become the first carbon-neutral office building in Australia. To do this, it generates its own power and water through on-site wind turbines and has a green roof that uses evapotranspiration from the building's gray water.
Designed to be water balanced, this building could, if necessary, disconnect from the power grid and be self-sufficient for all its amenities, excluding water consumption by the occupants.
In order to reduce the embedded carbon of the Pixel Building, the project used low-carbon concrete, coined as Pixelcrete, and sustainably sourced recycled building material.
The Pixel Building achieved 105 LEED points and was awarded a perfect 6 Star Green Star - Office Design v3 rating of 105 points, the highest rating ever awarded by the Green Building Council of Australia.
This building demonstrates how excellence and innovation can push the boundaries of sustainable design, and although it is only a small building, its impact will be felt in the design of other office buildings in Australia and around the world.
ACROS Fukuoka - Japan
The ACROS Fukuoka building in Fukuoka City, Japan, is a fantastic office building with two very distinct sides: one side looks like a conventional office building with glass walls, and the other side features a huge rooftop terrace that joins with a park.
The garden terraces, which go up to about 60 meters above the ground, contain about 35,000 plants, with a total of 76 species. A huge semicircular atrium and triangular lobby contrast with the greenery, in a space where there is a symphony hall, offices, and stores.
The building was built on the last remaining green space in the city center, so the architects responsible created a design that preserves the green space as much as possible while still fitting in a large office building.
In addition, the green roof reduces the building's energy consumption because it keeps the temperature inside more constant and comfortable. Green roofs also capture rainwater runoff, and support insect and bird life.