Archive of IJHRB


Archive of IJHRB


Vol. - No. Vol.12 - No.2
Date Jun., 2023
Title Sustainable Tall Buildings: Summary of Energy-Efficient Design
Author Kheir Al-Kodmany1+, Mir M. Ali2, and Paul J. Armstrong2
Institutions 1Department of Urban Planning and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago
2School of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Abstract Tall buildings are frequently decried as unsustainable due to their excessive
energy usage. Early skyscrapers used natural light and ventilation to facilitate human
comfort and applied organic materials such as stone, glass, wood, concrete, and terra
cotta for cladding and finishes. With the advent of fluorescent lighting, modern heating,
ventilation, air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, and thermally sealed curtain walls, tall
office buildings no longer had to rely on natural light and ventilation to provide
comfort. Energy efficiency was not a significant factor when the operational costs of
buildings were relatively inexpensive. However, today's skyscrapers must become
more energy-efficient and sustainable due to energy crises and climate change. This
paper highlights vital energy-efficient design principles and demonstrates with
illustrative case studies how they are applied to tall buildings in various parts of the
world. It shows how sustainable environmental systems do not act alone but are
integrated with advanced curtain wall systems, sky gardens, and atria, among others,
to regulate and sustain thermal comfort and conserve energy.
Keyword Energy saving, Daylighting, Natural ventilation, Intelligent technologies,
Renewable energies
PP. PP.107~120
Paper File Files(3613 kb) View

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