ctbuh.org/papers Title: Overview of Sustainable Design Factors in High-Rise Buildings Authors: Mir Ali, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Paul Armstrong, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Subjects: Architectural/Design Sustainability/Green/Energy Keywords: Integrated Design MEP Renewable Energy Sustainability Publication Date: 2008 Original Publication: CTBUH 2008 8th World Congress, Dubai Paper Type: 1. Book chapter/Part chapter 2. Journal paper 3. Conference proceeding 4. Unpublished conference paper 5. Magazine article 6. Unpublished © Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat / Mir Ali; Paul Armstrong Overview of Sustainable Design Factors in High-Rise Buildings Mir M. Ali and Paul J. Armstrong School of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 611 Taft Drive, Champaign, IL 61820 Tel: +1 217 244 8011, Email: [email protected], [email protected] Abstract This paper examines the critical design factors and strategies that warrant consideration to accomplish sustainable or high-performance tall buildings applying innovative technologies. It shows how “technology transfers” in the aerospace industry have been applied to tall building systems to achieve high-performance. Because the design of tall buildings warrants a multi-disciplinary approach and requires the integration of architectural components, structure, HVAC, and communication systems, an analogy exists between tall building and aircraft, which also comprises complex integrated systems. A few case study building examples are presented which represent the new generation of sustainable tall buildings that are setting trends for future projects incorporating innovations in materials and building systems. It is concluded that since tall buildings consume massive energy, designers of the next generation of tall buildings will [email protected] incrementally aim for “zero energy” design. In this approach climate is used to advantage and the [email protected] becomes a Mirsource M. ofAli power. It is possible that tall buildings will some day even produce excess energy and transfer the excess to Mir M. Ali is currently Professor and Chairman of the Structures Division of the School of Architecture, University of Illinoisthe city’s at Urbana-Champaign.power grid for use in In other 1999, ways. he was recognized by the University’s Chancellor for academic excellence. He is a registered structural engineer in Illinois and a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). He received ASCE’sKeywords Millennium: up alternative Challenge energy, integration,Prize in 1999 sustainable for his winningarchitecture, article tall buildinon skyscrapersgs, technology in a transferworld-wide competition. HisIntroduction considerable industrial experience includes Skidmore, Owingscompromising and Merrill the and ability Sargent of & future Lundy generations in Chicago. to He meet has workedIt as is consultant projected in that Canada, by 2030, Singapore, 5 billion Saudi people Arabia, will Bangladesh their own and needs.” the USA. He also worked as consultant with US Armylive in Corps urban of areas Engineers. throughout He wasthe worldthe Chairman (United ofNations, Committee 30-Architecture, of CTBUH from 1990 to 1998. Follow- ing2001). that Whereashe had been 30 pera Group cent of Leader the world of its population Group PA-Planning lived and ArchitectureSustainable untilarchitectur recently eand hasis beenenvironmentally a member of itsin Steeringurban areas Group in 1950,since 1998.the proportion He has been of urbaninterviewed dwellers on WTCconscious, and tall buildingsenergy-saving, by the Newand Yorkutilizes Times, responsive Toronto Star,and Chicagoclimbed Sunto 47 Times, per cent Chicago in 2000 Daily and Herald,is projected The Architecturalto rise to renewableRecord, Milwaukee materials Journal and Sentinel,systems Discovery(Newman, Channel, 2001). Travel60 per Channel, cent by MSNBC,2030. Energy NPR, shortage, IPR, Popular global Science, warming, PRI, AP,Ecological Rolling Stones, and environmentaland several others. concerns have expanded urban sprawl, air pollution, overflowing landfills, water beyond the issue of the consumption of non-renewable Dr.shortage, Ali was disease, a TOKTEN and global Fellow conflict of the will United be the Nations legacy in of 1989. energy He has authoredsources. a Sustainabilitybook titled Art essentiallyof the Skyscraper: aims Thefor Geniusthe twenty-first of Fazlur centuryKhan, and unless edited we three move books, quickly Architecture towards of ecologicalTall Buildings; balance. Bangladesh Floods: Views from Home and Abroad;the notion and Catalystand implementationfor Skyscraper Revolution:of sustainability. Lynn S. Beedle--A TheLegend Highin His Lifetime.Performance He has publishedTall Building:over 100 papersSurvival and of articles, the human and racepresented depends numerous upon the papers survival on tall of buildingsEnvironmental at conferences awareness and seminars extends nationally to both andthe interna urban- tionally.the cities--their His new bookbuilt The environment Skyscraper andand the theCity: urbanDesign, Technologyenvironment and and Innovation the context co-authored in which by a Lynntall building S. Beedle is andinfrastructure. Paul J. Armstrong This will is scheduledwarrant vision, for publication commitment, in December, and placed 2007. as well as its interior environment. The issues of action through partnership and commitment of outdoor microclimate and indoor air quality as well as the Paulgovernments, J. Armstrong policy makers, experts, and the potential toxicity of materials and chemicals used in Paulinvolvement J. Armstrong of citizens. is a registered It will architect require andcollaboration Associate ofProfessor building and Chair components, of Design systems, Program, and School furnishings of Architecture, are also of Universityurban planners, of Illinois architects,at Urbana-Champaign. engineers, Hepoliticians, is the co-author concern of Architecture to the building of Tall Buildingsusers. In a(1995), broad Space,sense theLight, term andacademics, Movement: and Thecommunity Architecture groups. of Jack S. Baker, FAIA (1997),“green” and The is Skyscraperoften used forand athe sustainable, City: Design, which Technology, essentially and Innovation (2007). He has published many papers on tall buildings,describes Moderndesign, constructionand Post-Modern and maintenancearchitecture, andpractices ar- chitecturalSustainable theory. Architecture He co-teaches with Professor Mir M. Ali a graduatethat minimize seminar orcourse eliminate titled “High-Risethe negative and impactHabitat” of and a supervisesIn 1983, design the studio UN established projects on the tall World buildings. Commission building on the environment and on the users. on Environment and Development in an attempt to Tall buildings are massive consumers of energy. resolve the conflicts arising out of the aspirations of the They are the dominant elements in urban architecture due developed and developing worlds. In 1989 they published to their scale and purpose, and should be the focus of “Our Common Future” or the Brundtland Report (WCED, sustainable design. A high performance tall building is 1989), which launched the concept of “sustainable one that achieves the peak efficiency of building functions development” and was reinforced in 1992 at Earth while meeting the requirements of optimum performance Summit in Rio. It called for “Development which meets employing green technologies. These technologies and the needs of the present generation without innovations offer radical changes to the built environments in terms of energy usage, structural CTBUH 8th World Congress 2008 1 Overview of Sustainable Design Factors in High-Rise Buildings Mir M. Ali and Paul J. Armstrong School of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 611 Taft Drive, Champaign, IL 61820 Tel: +1 217 244 8011, Email: [email protected], [email protected] Abstract This paper examines the critical design factors and strategies that warrant consideration to accomplish sustainable or high-performance tall buildings applying innovative technologies. It shows how “technology transfers” in the aerospace industry have been applied to tall building systems to achieve high-performance. Because the design of tall buildings warrants a multi-disciplinary approach and requires the integration of architectural components, structure, HVAC, and communication systems, an analogy exists between tall building and aircraft, which also comprises complex integrated systems. A few case study building examples are presented which represent the new generation of sustainable tall buildings that are setting trends for future projects incorporating innovations in materials and building systems. It is concluded that since tall buildings consume massive energy, designers of the next generation of tall buildings will incrementally aim for “zero energy” design. In this approach climate is used to advantage and the building becomes a source of power. It is possible that tall buildings will some day even produce excess energy and transfer the excess to the city’s power grid for use in other ways. Keywords: up alternative energy, integration, sustainable architecture, tall buildings, technology transfer Introduction compromising the ability of future generations to meet It is projected that by 2030, 5 billion people will their own needs.” live in urban areas throughout the world (United Nations, 2001). Whereas 30 per cent of the