Architecture Adrenaline
Promoting Freedom for Creative Architecture
In recent years, sustainable and eco-friendly buildings have gained immense popularity, especially among eco-tourists. The innovative architecture of these buildings, coupled with their focus on environmental protection, makes them a must-visit for anyone interested in eco-tourism. With that in mind, we have created a list of the top 10 innovative green buildings for eco-tourists, spanning the globe.
Located in Milan, Italy, Bosco Verticale is a pair of skyscrapers that stand at 110 and 76 meters tall. The remarkable feature of these towers is the vertical forest covering their outer surface, which includes over 800 trees, 4,000 shrubs, and 15,000 perennials. The vegetation helps to absorb carbon dioxide and filter pollution from the air, making it one of the most sustainable buildings globally.
The Edge is a 40,000 square meter office building located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. This building is regarded as the world's most sustainable office building, thanks to its energy-neutral capabilities. The Edge's design incorporates solar panels on the roof and facade, a heat-cold storage system, and innovative LED lighting. The building also has an app that allows occupants to find free desks and meeting rooms quickly.
Located in Singapore's Yishun district, the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital is regarded as one of the most eco-friendly hospitals globally. The building incorporates a rooftop garden, green walls and sustainable water management systems. Additionally, the building's design reduces environmental footprint, minimizes energy usage, and promotes natural daylight and airflow.
The Crystal in London, UK, is a state-of-the-art sustainable building that incorporates renewable energy sources and green technology. The building's most notable feature is its solar roof panel, which generates enough energy to supply the building's lighting and heat supply. The crystal also has a water recycling system that collects and purifies rainwater, providing a sustainable water supply.
The Bullitt Center is a six-story commercial office building in Seattle, USA, and is considered one of the greenest buildings worldwide. The building has been designed to be a carbon-neutral, sustainable building, incorporating rainwater harvesting and a green roof with photovoltaic panels. The Bullitt Center has also earned the distinction of being the first certified Living Building which guarantees it a lifetime of zero energy usage and net-zero carbon dioxide emissions.
The Council House 2 (CH2) in Melbourne, Australia, was the first office building worldwide to earn a '6 Star' rating under the Green Star environmental rating system. The building's design promotes natural lighting and airflow, incorporates solar photovoltaic panels, and has a water treatment system that recycles waste and excess water for irrigation purposes.
Green Lighthouse in Copenhagen, Denmark, is the first carbon-neutral public building in Denmark, designed to the Passive House standard of energy usage effectiveness. The building has a shape that maximizes solar gain, and photovoltaic panels on the roof generate sustainable electricity. Additionally, the building's interior design incorporates eco-friendly materials like linoleum, cork, and recycled aluminum.
The Pixel Building in Melbourne, Australia, is an eco-friendly commercial building that uses renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and wastewater treatment. The building has an innovative design that incorporates over 5,500 photovoltaic panels, natural daylight and a waste composting system that allows the building to produce no waste.
One Central Park in Sydney, Australia, is a mixed-use building incorporating commercial, residential and retail spaces. The building's design incorporates vegetation on the irregular-shaped tower, using living walls, and green terraces to maintain ecological balance. The building utilizes sustainable energy sources like photovoltaic panels, solar collectors, and a tri-generation power plant.
Located in Winnipeg, Canada, the Manitoba Hydro Place is an eco-friendly commercial tower with an emphasis on natural lighting and geothermal heating and cooling. The building has a unique shape that maximizes daylight and minimizes energy loss from artificial lighting. Manitoba Hydro Place also incorporates a rainwater harvesting system, solar panels, and a green roof, making it one of the greenest buildings in Canada.
A green or sustainable building involves the use of environmentally friendly materials, renewable energy sources, and innovative technology to reduce environmental impact. A sustainable building incorporates designs that maximize natural light and airflow, reduce energy consumption, and promote sustainable use of water.
The benefits of green buildings include reduced environmental impact, improved indoor air quality, lower energy and water bills, and increased occupant productivity.
Sustainable buildings generally have environmentally friendly features such as solar panels, rainwater harvesting systems, and green roofs. The building's design should promote natural light and airflow and use eco-friendly materials.
Most of the buildings on this list are open to tours, providing an educational experience on sustainable architecture and eco-friendly building design. However, it is essential to check the building's website or tour schedule to confirm availability before visiting.
