Archive for Office and Work Space
The height of Eco-Friendly - World’s tallest buildings face new contender
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London's Post Office Tower
It all started with the church in the village where I grew up , it’s stone spire could be seen from a few miles away as it was the tallest building in our little town. As a youngster I was ridiculously impressed by tall and grand buildings, as a little kid when visiting London I was amazed at the twin spires of Westminster Abbey (69 M 225 FT) and the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral (112 M 366 FT), before then being transfixed by the tallest tower (at the time) in London - The Post Office Tower (now named the BT Tower standing at 188 M 617 FT). As a small boy that building seemed impossibly tall and so it remained until the first time I visited Paris on a school trip when I was about eight. It was there that I first saw the Eiffel Tower - not so much a building as a steel observation deck but certainly enough to thrill me and the tallest yet (not to mention very metric exactly 300.0M or 984 feet).
burj-khalifa in Dubai
My dad used to travel to the US and Canada on business a lot and when I was ten we were taken on a family trip which was really masquerading as a business trip but my tall building buzz saw new highs. We flew into JFK and I was lucky enough to visit and go to the top of the Empire State Building (381M) and The World Trade Centre (417M 1368 FT). At more than double the height of the Post Office Tower plus the incredible vastness of the building I remember just looking up in awe - and of course there were two of them! It seemed to my 10 year old brain that the trip was designed around my tall building hobby (it wasn’t) as we also visited Chicago which of course features the Sears Tower, the tallest in the world at the time (442M 1451 FT). My holy grail was visited and I had the photos to prove it.
As I grew older my interest in tall buildings waned, and although I ended up living in one and working in one for a short time I found other interests that replaced my early passion. I’ve paid marginal attention as the Sears Tower was trumped by new skyscrapers in Asia and wept (for reasons beyond the obvious) when the twin towers in New York came crashing down on that dark day in 2001. My interest was rekindled by the recent construction and opening of the new top tower in Dubai - the Burj Khalifa is a staggering height (828M 2717 FT). I can’t even conceive of a building being that tall and photographs and videos such as the one beneath make it seem computer generated against the desert background.
From an environmental perspective the newest buildings are also using more methods of green construction. Not just smaller buildings and homes are benefiting from new concepts of sustainable construction by skyscrapers around the world are also incorporating design ideas that consider more than height. There is now news of a potential tower being constructed later this decade in Miami, Florida that would not only been taller than the current pinnacle in Dubai but also potentially the one of the largest eco-friendly buildings ever built.
The proposed Miapolis
The proposed structure is the Miapolis, if it gets built the 975 meter high tower could potentially beat out Dubai’s Burj Khalifa as the world’s tallest building if built. Designed by KOBI KARP, Miapolis would be more than just a building - it would be a vertical self-contained city. They utilize the most cutting-edge sustainable systems and practices within the design, it would be the largest LEED-certified structure at any rating level in the United States. The staggering 160-floor tower would contain entertainment and residential spaces within including an amusement park, observatory, restaurants, 2 million sq ft of shops, over 1000 apartments, 1 million sq ft of office space and a 792 room hotel. *(some elevators too I’m guessing)
Miapolis’ eco-credibility includes the use of 60% wind energy, a modular green roof, greenhouse gas management, water desalinization, storm and wastewater management, solid waste management and much more. Will it actually happen? There is a list of proposed super towers as long as my arm that never came to fruition - but to think that the tallest building in the world might also boast a very green core - that would be the height of eco-friendly.
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Waste Paper? Meet your destiny….”White Goat”
Posted by: | CommentsThis has to be seen to be believed and fortunately I have a video to include so that you know it’s not just a fanciful idea. I used to work at an 
office where over 600 employees occupied 3 buildings on a corporate campus, regrettably (and as recently as 2006) it was an environment that created an obscene amount of waste paper. We used to have training classes with 60 page staff manuals on paper, I’d attend meetings where in addition to the powerpoint presentation 15 or 20 of us might be watching we would each be handed a twenty page ‘deck’ so we could follow through the presentation from paper on our laps simultaneously! Sadly there were a high number of employees who were very ‘old school’ and emails containing policy or updates just didn’t exist to them unless the clicked their print button, hiked over to the printer and grabbed a paper copy to hide within a draw at their desk. It’s not real unless I can touch it seemed to the mentality.
Within the office they gradually moved to a situation where every 50 feet or so a giant blue paper recycling bin for paper would stand sentinel hoping that a small percentage of the forests destroyed in the name of profit might find their way back to paper mill for reproduction. To be fair some people even asked what these five foot tall plastic receptacles were for, as the months rolled on some people even started adding paper into them. Unfortunately just as many people filled their desk side trash cans on a daily basis with scraps and memos that never needed to be printed in the first place.
I won’t name the company for fear of causing outrage, let’s just say it’s a large and well known company who really should have enforced stricter recycling policy. By the time I left the company, when used to worked later in the evening I would see the cleaning crew come in and empty those recycling bins and would be pleased to see that ‘participation’ rates were beginning to improve. I wish that this product existed 5 years ago as I would have written to our executive board insisting it was considered for our office as well as the dozens of other equally large facilities throughout the world. It’s called White Goat and is named very appropriately.
In short it is a paper shredder designed specifically for large offices that create a significant amount of waste paper. That with water will pulp all waste paper and remarkably turn it into toilet paper. All of this from the same unit! It only takes 40 sheets of A4 paper to make one roll of toilet paper. The manufacturer estimates that ‘running costs’ will equate to about $0.10 per roll of paper. I believe that the company are only accepting pre-orders presently as the product was only recently unveiled at a Japanese ‘eco-trade’ fair late last year.
Watch out for staples!!!
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Top ten green building trends (part two)
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Recently we looked at the first five of the top ten building trends that are anticipated in 2010. The list was compiled by the Earth Advantage Institute and compiled some very practical examples of what can pass for achievable practices to incorporate in eco-friendly construction. Its very encouraging to see the changes and progress recent years have brought to green construction and the logic and desire for long term objectives over short term cost savings is a balance that is swinging in the right direction. So, onto the final five:
6. Eco districts - Perhaps above all of the other concepts this is the most logical step when new communities are being built. Again it involves learning from the past and is very European, constructing homes so that the residents can walk or bike to the places they work, shop or dine. Planned construction can reduce the reliance on cars and urban living can be achieved even in suburban areas. The incorporation of green space and making districts very pedestrian focused can be further enhanced by green coding on the building where the residents work and play.
7. Water Conservation - The EPA have announced ‘watersense’ specifications for all new homes which reduces water consumption by 20% versus a traditional home. When you consider that over half of all water use is residential the positive impact of the program can be monumental. Energy labeling and certification for homes is probably just around the corners as such programs are already in place in Europe.
8. Carbon Calculation - This may surprise you but building contribute about 50% of all carbon emissions that are released into our environment. In the years ahead this will become a critical component of green construction, presently both methods to measure a building’s performance coupled with more efficient construction methods are being developed. The evolution in this process will create carbon credits and local or regional units equipped to make improved recommendations and set standards.
9. Net Zero Buildings - The ultimate badge of honour in residential or commercial construction. This type of construction would (naturally) generate more energy than it uses. While this presents quite a challenge, the move toward smaller more energy efficient buildings coupled with renewable energy resources onsite such as wind, solar or geo-exchange systems make this possible. The developments in solar alone make the concept in sunnier regions fully viable in the near future.
10. Sustainable Building Education - This is a bit of a catch all but is a necessary step for an industry that is needing to reinvent itself in some circumstances. Ensuring developers make time to learn about green building and establish credentials, will enable the momentum for being buyers not to be lost. So much of the progress will be contingent on local municipal bodies but the change is definitely occurring in many cities. The crest of this progress is once again when people understand and more importantly can actually see the value of greener construction. Hence the education aspect is vital in all spheres from roofing manufacturers, to city planners and even estate agents.
So there you have it, ten very tangible trends that in harmony will create a society that impacts the environment in a positive way on a daily basis. The key will be awareness - as ever.
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Top 10 Green Building Trends (part one)
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Green Building Trends are changing at a rate of knots due to a combination of improved technology, economics and both consumer and corporate demand. What is inevitable is that new home and commercial construction will always continue so from an environmental perspective seeing which practices are considered the most in demand is of great interest.
The Earth Advantage Institute have formally released what they see as top ten green building trends for 2010, each of which is fascinating in its own right. The changing dynamics of the construction of new building plus improvements to existing ones are crucial to the reduction of energy use and indeed the impact to the local habitat. As with most things making the consumer or business aware of the green building options available is the first step on the road to acceptance and improvement. Giant strides have been made in the last 15 years and the actual implementation of so many eco-schemes is now a reality and I find that exciting. So on to that list!
1. The Smart Grid and Connected Home - Not only is this the fastest growing trend its also one that technology has made both affordable and achievable to the masses. Another selling point is that the dividends in energy and use are instant which always helps a new concept find an audience. Being able to view your energy use (even down to specific appliance) on a real time display and customise usage to work with your providers peak and off-peak costs is so logical that consumers are embracing the option rather readily. The budget conscious and the strategic are enjoying targeting reduction of energy use and the initial investment is reasonably nominal.
2. Energy Labeling for Homes and Business - This concept is truly leveling the playing field if you are in the market for a new home or business location. It allows for house to house (or business to business) comparisons to be made when evaluating the energy efficiency of the property and educated buyers are taking not. It also allows those looking to sell a property to best ascertain the needed improvements to make their property more attractive for a buyer who is evaluating energy efficiencies. Some states have even added mandates to ensure any property receives an official energy score at the time of transaction as part of the official audit when selling or buying.
3. Building Information Software - Advances in CAD software have taken the design process from the theoretical to the real time evaluation level. The projected performance of a new construction can be reviewed and used to impact the actual nature of design. Via complex measurements the forecasted efficiency performance of a building can be measured pre-construct, whilst this benefit is currently aimed at larger buildings look for it to soon be an option for smaller and independent builders so that the housing market see the benefit in the years ahead.
4. Financial Community supporting Green Building - This is really key and will prove instrumental as the market and mentality continue to evolve. The same way your driving habits impact your insurances, borrowers are now valuing your eco-sensibility for making reduced rate loans and providing insurance. The rule of thumb being that lenders see eco-buyers as a better investment and more likely to provide better maintenance of their homes or offices.
5. ‘Rightsizing’ of Homes - Bigger is better was the predominant logic in home construction and appreciation until we finally stopped and smelled the roses. The rising costs of energy coupled with the need for better urban planning are resulting in the large end of the market proving to be a poor investment in relative terms. The housing market remains cautious at best and property as an investment is not the ’safe money’ it was a decade ago means tying up your funds in a large home is no longer very attractive. Couple that with interest rates that will change and the move to smaller homes is in no doubt.
Part two of the list in the days ahead.
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