Green Complex in Singapore
As Singapore’s Marina Center is currently being completely redesigned - there are numerous impressive construction projects under way on the artificial island, amongst a Las Vegas-style casino - there are also plans for a new green complex designed by the London-based architectural firm Foster & Partners.
The self-sufficient 150 000 square meter complex will be an additional bonus to Singapore’s breathtaking skyline.
Green buildings are fairly popular these days, not only because they are quite fashionable and useful for marketing purposes, but also because their high energy efficiency saves millions of dollars annually by reducing the amount of artificial light needed, by improving air-conditioning systems and by on-site power generation using alternative sources of energy. The higher initial construction costs can be offset in the medium term.
Foster & Partners is also involved in the development of Masdar City, an entire eco-friendly city in the United Arab Emirates. Another example is the Pearl River Tower in Shenzhen,the eco-friendly headquarters of Bank of America in Manhattan as well as the a zero-energy skyscraper in Dubai.
The towers’ facades will be covered with thin-film solar cells. By harnessing solar power and bringing down the buildings’ energy consumption to a minimum, the towers overlooking Marina Bay will be self-sustaining. Sky gardens will make the complex an enjoyable work environment, a great place to live, work, go shopping, relax, and dine.
Check this site for more background information and pictures:
http://www.metaefficient.com/architecture-and-building/leading-edge-green-complex-for-singapore.html
Next week, I’ll be reporting daily from Singapore right here. You’ll be able to see photos from Singapore’s top site’s, get insights on how the Southeast Asian business hub deals with the current global crisis and interesting reports of how life looks like in this bustling city on the tip of the Malay Peninsula. The city state is a place where we can get an early impression of the future. The island-nation is leading in information and telecommunications technologies, biotechnology, transportation and financial services. Moreover, Singapore is one of the most energy-efficient cities in the world. The state-of-the-art public transportation system makes going by subway much more convenient than driving. Furthermore, the country’s educational system is among the best in the world, most Singaporeans speak at least English and Chinese as their native languages. Due to do its highly competitive workforce and multi-ethnic society, I expect that Singapore will strengthen its position even more, attract huge foreign investments, become a leader in 21st century technologies and maintain its position as a global business hub.
