Green building projects are increasingly chosen to combine architecture and the environment. For some years, the most highly rated and famous studios in the world have been dedicated to designing low-emission buildings that are also energy efficient. And there are examples of green building that have crossed national borders to become true best practices in sustainable development.
The term Green building refers to a choice of green and environmentally sustainable architecture, capable of limiting emissions, but also being energy efficient. If the aesthetics of the buildings also manage to have less impact, even better. And there is no shortage of virtuous examples in this sense.
For some years now, the best architectural firms have decided to take up the environmental challenge, designing a series of solutions to make large cities greener. A series of projects have emerged that have gone around the world and have become a starting point to work on.
In recent years, since the issues related to environmental sustainability have become more urgent, every area of the contemporary world has moved to address them. For this reason, it is not surprising that, in a perspective of sustainable development of cities, green building has also made great strides.
Construction material choices have become greener, while energy saving has become an essential aspect of new structures. From Milan to Melbourne, passing through Canada and China, the most famous examples of green building in the world.
Green Building: 5 Green Examples Around the World
In an era where climate change is the wake-up call to improve our behaviors, Green building is experiencing its golden moment. The green credentials of a building today are the first to be evaluated. And for this reason, decisions regarding design, materials and construction cannot ignore the environmental impact.
But which are the green buildings that have pioneered green building, or that have achieved the greatest success for environmental innovations?
Vertical Forest, Milan
On October 10, 2014, the city of Milan welcomed one of the greenest (in every sense), but also picturesque buildings of the Milanese metropolis: the Bosco Verticale. From a brilliant intuition of Studio Boeri, the project of the two twin skyscrapers has deserved international recognition.
But why vertical forest? It is not difficult to understand, as the buildings are covered with about two thousand species of shrubs and flowers capable of camouflaging the building structure, which from afar appears like a forest.
Robinson Tower, Singapore
The Robinson Tower in Singapore is a green building opened in 2019, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. It is a structure used for offices and commercial activities, which meets the rigorous standards set by the Singapore Landscape Replacement Policy.
The design, filled with green areas of plants and trees, also maximizes the amount of natural light available to enter, reducing the cost of artificial lighting. The public can also visit a walled garden on the roof and an open-air garden on top of the building’s retail spaces.
Pixel Building, Melbourne
The Pixel Building, a tower block opened in Melbourne in 2010, was Australia’s first zero-carbon office building, capable of generating its own power and water. Its energy-saving features include colored panels that provide shade and maximize daylight.
But there is also no shortage of wastewater treatment plants, as well as a roof for collecting and recovering rainwater and a series of vertical wind turbines for energy production.
Vancouver Convention Centre West, Vancouver
Green building is a serious thing in Canada, so much so that the Vancouver Convention Centre West, in 2009, was the first building of its kind to earn a LEED double platinum designation, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. But let’s see what features have made it one of the greenest convention centres in the world.
To begin with, four hives of European honeybees were housed to pollinate the plants and grasses on the roof, which in turn help reduce heat build-up in the summer and retain it in the winter. The sloping shape also aids in water drainage and seed irrigation.
Birth Tower, Birth
The Shanghai Tower, at 2,073 feet tall, is the second tallest building in the world, but in addition to being an architectural marvel, it is also sustainable. A second-skin layer that rotates around the building creates a cushion of air that acts as natural ventilation, reducing energy costs.
The exterior lights are powered by 270 wind turbines embedded in the facade, making the lighting cost-free. Thanks to measures like these, the tower consumes less energy than other skyscrapers, so much so that it has earned the LEED platinum certification.
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Source: www.greenstyle.it
