What does it mean to 'go green'?
Sustainability in the ‘built environment’ means that human building needs are met but without damaging the current or future natural world. Since the onset of global warming, more and more people have become aware of the damage that humans have imposed on the environment through the development of current and new structures. Specifically, developers have taken a keen interest in trying to reduce the damage created by current and developing buildings.

Featured Project: The Center for Sustainable Energy Technologies
Place: Ningbo, China

Why it is great for the environment:
Sustainable with tons of green features + It is a place where technological sustainability breakthroughs can be made.

Why we like it:
Inspired by the Chinese lantern, the design employs various environmentally friendly strategies including a rooftop which sheds light to all floors and the use of geothermal energy to cool and heat floor slabs. Let’s not forget an entirely clad double skin of glass and a system of windows which optimize the influx of sunlight and minimize the need for artificial illumination, this zero carbon structure.

Cool Green Links:
BREEAM Explained
Green Giants: Greener Buildings
Going Green: Commercial Real Estate
Going Green: Getting the Details
Learn all about LEED
World Green Building Council

Other great, green projects in ourbania:
BDP Manchester Studio (Manchester, UK)
Citi Data Center (Frankfurt, Germany)
Elm Park Mixed-Use Development (Dublin, Ireland)
Linked Hybrid (Beijing, China)