The Taipei 101 building is seen in hazy weather on Monday in Taiwan. Outdone by tower in Dubai, the world's former tallest building, Taipei 101, wants to become the tallest green structure by completing a checklist of clean energy standards, a spokesman said.PICHI CHUANG
Outdone by a tower that stands at more than 800 metres in Dubai, the world's former tallest building, Taipei 101, wants to become the highest green structure by completing a checklist of clean energy standards, a spokesman said on Monday.
Taipei 101 will spend $1.9-million (U.S.) over the next year to meet 100 criteria for an environmental certificate that it would hold over Dubai, spokesman Michael Liu said.
The office-commercial tower that reigned for five years as the world's tallest building at 509 metres aims to receive the U.S-based Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certificate in 2011.
"We're focused now on becoming a Taiwan landmark, that won't change, and on going green. We'd be the tallest building to get a green certificate," Mr. Liu said.
Taipei 101, he said, would work with its 85 office tenants to cut electricity and water use, while encouraging them to recycle more refuse.
Restaurants would be asked to bring in supplies from as close as possible to reduce transportation.
"We can reduce power, trash and water by more than 10 per cent," he said. "We're already pretty green. In principle there's no major problem."
The Taiwan skyscraper, complete with an observation deck popular with tourists, has already met 60 of the checklist items, including double-paned windows to retain cool air.
Green towers are unusual in Asia, a region with the world's busiest construction sector yet one of the poorest records for eco-friendly building.
Burj Dubai, started at the height of Dubai's economic boom and built by some 12,000 labourers, will now become the world's tallest building. It was opened on Monday as Dubai seeks to rekindle optimism after its financial crisis.
Thousands of residents and tourists crowded around the tapering half-mile high tower, which stands at least 160 storeys high. It is so high, the temperature is said to be 10 degrees C cooler at the zenith than at the base. The building's developer has said it stands more than 800 meters.
With swimming pools on floors 43 and 76 and plans for the world's highest mosque on the 158th floor, the $1-billion "superscraper" dwarfs both the world's previous tallest building, the Taipei 101, and the 629-metre m KVLY-TV mast in North Dakota, the tallest man-made structure.