“If you’re building a greenhouse in a climate emergency, it’s a pretty odd thing to do to say the least,” said Simon Sturgis, an adviser to the government and the Greater London Authority, as well as chairman of the Royal Institute of British Architects sustainability group. “If you’re using standard glass facades you need a lot of energy to cool them down, and using a lot of energy equates to a lot of carbon emissions.” — The Guardian
As the global community continues to mobilize against the rising threat of climate collapse, cities and other entities are moving toward banning or limiting the future development of all-glass skyscrapers due to the buildings' high energy demands, according to a report in The Guardian.
For decades, designers have relied on technological approaches like double- and triple-glazing facade units to maximize the energy performance of these designs, but as the limited lifespan of these systems comes under question, it has become clear that more drastic efforts are needed.
Simon Sturgis, chairman of the Royal Institute of British Architects sustainability group, told The Guardian, “To mitigate the amount of energy used to cool these buildings, you have to produce a really complicated façade, which is usually triple glazed.”
Sturgis added, “But double glazed units and laminated glass don’t last very long – 40 years or so. So you have to replace your facade every 40 years, that’s also not a very good idea.”
Regulations should be performance-based rather than prescriptive. Performance-based designs could address all of the mentioned issues of energy use and durability. The zeal with which the sustainability crowd has embraced this headline-grabbing but ultimately silly "no more glass buildings" policy is very much in keeping with the prevailing craziness of today. No time for nuance or reasoned discussion. Sad!
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"The Foster + Partners-designed Shard tower in London". Foster + Partners?
Error has been corrected, sorry!
Regulations should be performance-based rather than prescriptive. Performance-based designs could address all of the mentioned issues of energy use and durability. The zeal with which the sustainability crowd has embraced this headline-grabbing but ultimately silly "no more glass buildings" policy is very much in keeping with the prevailing craziness of today. No time for nuance or reasoned discussion. Sad!
Agree.
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As if a triple-glazed glass facade is the end limit and no more innovations will ever occur. Some people would be entirely happy stacking people into a windowless multi-story concrete vault if it would make themselves seem moral and eco-superior.
Solution for this issue can be obtained by making the most sun facing facade of Skyscrapers, generally West-East direction into completely green facade and vertical gardening. This may reduce the reflecting and heating temperature of Sun light as well as Carbon emission.
Making this a compulsory requirement for glass skyscraper will result in drastic change.
The better way to impose energy conservation standards might be to create a more wholistic Leed certification that includes walk scores, proximity to transit, and energy efficiency mandates. But if we're at the point of banning glass skyscrapers, wouldn't we also create no-growth areas around cities to force the redevelopment of suburban sprawl? Our car dependent lifestyle is a far worse culprit of greenhouse gas emissions than glass buildings, regardless of how banal they are.
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