10 Sustainable skyscrapers designed to have green roofs

The demand to adopt greener sources of energy in everyday life has prompted many architects to design skyscrapers which can use the renewable sources of energy. The roofs of these buildings use sunlight and other green sources of energy. Here is a list of 10 sustainable skyscrapers designed to have green roofs:

AMERICA’S TALLEST SKYSCRAPER

1. Chinatrust Bank complex features modern buildings with green roofs

Chinatrust Bank Complex

The Chinatrust Bank complex located in Taiwan is an eco friendly structure because it features green roofs. LA office of NBBJ has designed this beautiful skyscraper together with Taiwanese firm Fei & Cheng Associates. This 30-story complex features 21-story commercial office building and 10-story hotel. It is expected that by 2012 the whole structure would cover around 2.5 million square feet. The building has been designed to use the natural site and solar energy to generate energy. The gardens on the roof of this building will reduce rainwater runoff.

2. Felipe Campolina’s portability skyscraper features green roof and walls

Felipe Campolina’s Portability Skyscraper

Designed by Brazilian architect Felipe Campolina, this futuristic skyscraper with green wall and roof is made of several mobile living units. The living units of this building are scaled from the standard OSB plate and steel frame structure makes up the mobile living units. The wall features thermo-acoustic insulation and the tower features rails on each floor. Six independent units are carried by each floor. The units have been designed in such a manner that they can be added or removed without disturbing the neighboring unit. The building has a water recycling system as well.

3. Perkins Eastman showcases green towers for Mumbai

Perkins Eastman

American company Perkins Eastman recently unveiled two skyscraper designs made especially for the Indian city of Mumbai. The designs of these green skyscrapers were showcased during the Kohinoor Skyscraper Competition. In the first design, Perkins Eastman has suggested to build a 108,000-square meter structure. This 33-story building features a double story retail base. In its second design, the American firm has proposed to build two mid-rise buildings of 66,700 square meters each. These eco friendly towers will generate electricity using renewable sources of energy. The roofs of the buildings will have gardens.

4. Suburb in the city: unique skyscraper provides urban green

Suburb in the City

Spanish firm Nabito Architects has proposed to build a unique skyscraper named “Stairscraper” in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The firm claims that this green building would allow the occupants to feel the joy of suburban life while living here. Each apartment of this building will have a roof which will be used as the garden. Each unit in this skyscraper will have private outdoor space, which will allow the occupants to grow their own garden.

5. Fusionopolis – A truly green skyscraper

Fusionopolis

UK-based architect Ken Yeang deserves credit for designing a green skyscraper named Fusionopolis. He claims that it is the first truly green building in the world. Fusionopolis will be built in Singapore. This 15-story structure features a vertical spine of planting on each floor. Each floor of this building has got landscaped garden terraces. This green skyscraper will use natural sources like sun to generate energy.

6. America’s tallest skyscraper gets a green makeover

AMERICA’S TALLEST SKYSCRAPER

Sears Tower, the tallest skyscraper in the US, is set to get a green makeover worth $350 million. It is expected that the makeover would reduce the electricity of this 4.5 million square feet building by 80% and save 24 million gallons of water annually. Sears Tower contains 104 elevators and 16,000 windows and it is likely that this huge structure would earn LEED certification in near future. As part of the makeover, the roof of the building will get solar panels and wind turbines. Around 35,000 square feet of roof will be converted into garden.

7. Sustainable mixed-use ‘Hyper-Tower’ has a soccer pitch on top

Hyper-Tower

The “Hyper-Tower” is the brainchild of French architect Jaubert Francois. This twin-tower set up has space for residential apartments, commercial purposes and sports events as well. A vertical park starting at the ground floor connects the two towers. The park finishes on the roof of this building at a football pitch. This green tower has sports and residential facilities on the upper levels while offices, shops and restaurants are on the lower levels.

8. Sky-Terra skyscrapers create green urban space in the sky

Sky-Terra skyscrapers

San Francisco-based designer Joanna Borek-Clement deserves credit for conceptualizing the idea of the Sky-Terra skyscrapers. The whole structure is infact a network of interconnected towers. This floating green structure features parks, gardens, fields, pools, etc. The height of the tower made from modular parts can be as much as 1,600 ft.

9. Biomimicry inspired cactus building

Cactus Building

Aesthetics architects GO Group has designed this cactus-inspired energy-efficient structure for Qatari government. This building features several smart shades that open and close according to the sun’s strength. This green building has a botanic dome as well.

10. Rødovre Tower to be plush sky village

Rødovre Tower

Danish firm MVRDV has designed a green building for Rødovre, a Danish municipality, in partnership with ADEPT. Named "Sky Village," this 381 feet building will have residential space, offices, hotel and park. The design of this eco friendly building is based on "pixels," which are flexible and measuring 646 square feet each.