Eco Towers; A Proactive Way To Build Green

As builders become more conscious and consumers become more aware of building green, innovative and creative solutions are being developed far beyond the scope of current LEED standards. An urban planner from the University of Illinois has recently envisioned creating structures that are not only energy efficient, but also proactively fight climate change.

This would be accomplished through a variety of solutions, ranging from seawater powered air conditioning to creating a symbiotic structure, with integrated trees and plants. Many propose that this style of building will spark a new trend of "eco-iconic" design. With radical and non-conventional designs such as those below, I certainly agree.

                               
     

The Swiss-cheese looking facade on the left limits the amount of sunlight reaching the building; which substantially reduces the cooling costs for a building in Dubai. On the right, trees and plants have been fully integrated into the staggered decks of this proposed building as a long-term method to combat carbon. As green architecture and construction advance, I look forward to seeing the novel solutions proposed.