Green Construction Goals for World's Tallest Building

One of the world’s most iconic structures is to be put through an environmental revamp, it emerged on November 5th 2009.  Taipei 101/ Taipei Financial Center is the tallest building in the world capable of being occupied – the tip of its spire being 1,670 feet above ground.  Its name is linked to the fact that it has 101 floors (above ground – there are five more subterranean levels!) and –having being recognised as the world’s tallest skyscraper five years ago on its completion, Taipei 101 now wants to be known as the tallest green building on earth.  

Environmental Construction

At the start of this week (November 2nd), officials in charge of the tower announced their intention to apply for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold certification.  The process involved in this will see continuous assessments carried on the structure in terms of both existing environmental construction features, and those to be factored in over coming months. 

“The management team not only wishes to make profits, we are trying to reach the break-even point and hence bring returns to our shareholders”, Harace Lin, chairman of Taipei 101, told media representatives present at a press conference.  

World’s Tallest Building: Taipei 101

Lin continued: “But we're also expecting to make Taipei 101 an icon of green building industry in Taiwan and worldwide.  Therefore, we have decided to apply for the world leading green building rating system LEED.  As the world's tallest building Taipei 101 aims to raise people's awareness in our environment and be a pioneer of international green building certification for existing buildings.”

LEED is a programme developed in the US that gives a set of standards in respect of environmentally friendly buildings.  According to Lin, initial assessments of Taipei 101 have highlighted how a number of environmentally friendly features were incorporated into the building at the point of construction.  Future plans involve ensuring its lighting system is as energy-efficient as can be achieved, and drawing on local food suppliers as much as possible (in order to lower the CO2 emissions associated with delivering restaurant food supplies from afar).

Taipei 101: Green Construction

The cost associated with factoring new green construction technologies into Taipei 101 is expected to come in at around £1.1 million. 

“Today is an historic day for green buildings, not only in Taiwan, but Asia and the whole world”,  Rob Watson, the man who established the LEED programme, said in a statement, adding: “Taipei 101 the new 'green giant' is aspiring for the highest recognition in green building by achieving Gold certification through the LEED Green Building Rating System.”

See also:

Environmental Retrofit for US Tallest Skyscraper

Pearl River Tower - China's Super Energy Efficient Skyscraper