Environmental

Environmental - Can Good Architecture Be Green?

Can Good Architecture Be Green?

BeGreen1Architecture is at a crossroads. Building materials and new construction, together with the maintenance and operation of buildings, account for a large proportion of  the world's greenhouse gas emissions. How can architects today design buildings which do not further deteriorate the environment or deplete the world's resources? Good architecture can be completely sustainable. The best buildings have always fitted with their immediate environment, even before sustainability was an issue. Here are some examples of Cool Green Architecture.
The new Copenhagen Waste-to-Energy Plant in Denmark is a waste treatment facility that has been turned into an exciting destination for Copenhagen’s citizens and visitors. This project became an opportunity for Bjarke Ingels and his collaborators to improve the quality of life for people living in Denmark’s capital city by turning part of the building and site into a ski slope, offering recreational opportunities in a setting that would formerly have been considered undesirable.
BeGreen2The Leadenhall Street office building by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, the tallest building in the heart of London, will feature a transparent atrium space that offers views into and out of the building. The tower will be lifted off the ground to make space for a seven-story atrium accessible from all directions at street level. By opening the atrium’s landscaped interior toward the southern sun, enabling the flow of pedestrians and incorporating a bar and restaurant – this urban space will become a relaxing oasis.
SOM’s design for Green Tech City in Hanoi, Vietnam, will create a new urban district for 20,000 people. Applying many of the principles of sustainability such as harnessing the wind and sun to support comfortable living conditions, the firm will also organize the district along a linear green corridor that incorporates low-rise pedestrian-friendly residential neighborhoods. By incorporating existing agricultural water channels into green spaces and waterways, this will give people access to green nature. These projects create rich environments beyond just functional purposes – benefitting both their users and adjacent communities.
At Danpal, we believe that creating healthy and safe, well designed, resource preserving functional physical environments in support of human habitation is the responsibility of architects.
BeGreen3A global leader in the design and manufacture of daylight systems with high thermal insulation properties and mechanical resistance, Danpal enables architects to harness natural resources in an environmentally responsible and cost-effective manner. Danpal light architecture solutions require minimal maintenance and offer excellent control of energy consumption, resulting in substantial life cycle cost savings. Danpal’s ready-to-install systems help reduce on-site labour time, particularly in open environments or problematic conditions. Perfect for facades, cladding, roofing, skylights and shading applications, Danpal® makes it easy to design natural daylight environments. A truly global company – with over 30 years’ experience offering unique solutions to architects – Danpal® have supported a multitude of innovative and renowned sustainable architectural projects.