Despite growing concerns about the carbon emissions associated with their construction and operation, skyscrapers continue to spring up around the globe. Here, Philip Oldfield sets out seven ways to design tall buildings that are more sustainable.
Is there such a thing as a low-carbon tall building" Or are skyscrapers inherently unsustainable, the SUV of the built environment"
By rising up above their surroundings, tall buildings are exposed to more sun and wind. This could, in principle, be a good thing (think free heating and ventilation). But since so many towers are fully glazed, with little shade, instead they often experience overheating or excess heat loss, increasing operating emissions.
Tall buildings also suffer from what skyscraper architect and engineer Fazlur Khan calls the "premium for height". As we build taller, towers face higher and higher lateral forces from the wind and seismic loads. To resist these, tall buildings use more structural materials ? typically carbon-intensive concrete and steel. The upshot is that taller buildings have a higher embodied carbon than mid- and low-rise blocks. Across their lifecycle, tall buildings typically generate more emissions
Overall the evidence suggests that across their lifecycle, tall buildings typically generate more emissions than mid-rise. So, should we stop building them"
A major challenge we face over the next few decades is housing billions of people comfortably and safely while radica...