Over the last 30 years, Construction industry has moved from the ill fated 'Stack' em' High, Build' em' Cheap', comprehensive treatment approach of the 1960s, to sprawling out-of-town housing estates, business parks and retail centres. With 3.8m new homes needed by 2021, it is critical that sustainable alternatives for building are explored and communicated the property market.
The Sustainable Towers project aims to reopen the debate on high-rise living in today’s context and to develop the Design Brief that will lead to a new generation of sustainable high-rise towers in UK.
The 1960’s saw the decline of high-rise living for a number of well-known reasons. In recent times, the landscape has changed and there has been an increased desire for tall buildings. This has been prompted by: growing suburbia, need for inner city density and living, potential for renewable energy generation and advent of new technologies such as, cellular stacking for car parking, etc.
In the short term, the project intends to challenge the conventional design approach and enable designers to generate strategies that meet the aims of sustainable construction. With the aid of solutions based on ideal Design Brief and case studies, demonstrate to Clients and Developers that high-rise towers, in the urban context, can be a sustainable choice socially, economically and environmentally.
The long-term aim of the project is to enable urban renewal by increasing people’s choices within the city; increasing densities and therefore efficiency and bringing inner city areas back to life.
Environment: The potential reduction in environmental impacts through a reduced ‘ecological footprint’ and reduction in transportation energy make high-rise living/working issues critically important in today’s context. In the urban context, tall buildings also provide great potential for renewable energy generation. For example, geothermal energy, which can be tapped through pile foundations and wind energy as wind density increases with altitude, etc.
Through the study of ecologically sustainable tower design, construction and operation issues, and presenting representative solutions, the project aims to ensure that energy and water savings and harvesting strategies are incorporated into schemes in an appropriate fashion. This will ensure that UK continues to work towards its commitments to CO2 emission reduction, whilst continuing to maintain the highest standards of internal living conditions for the building occupants.
Social: The development and history of tower blocks in the UK has not been a success story. But high-density inner-city housing is likely to become a priority for urban centres of UK over the next ten years2. Given the increasing demand for inner city housing and the likely formation of many new households, many of them single parents or couples, high-rise has an important role to play in the regeneration of our cities.
This project will highlight the key requirements for a ‘socially sustainable’ tower, i.e., privacy, accessibility, etc. by understanding the potential social impact of high-rise living and working. The project will also explore how present technologies, such as enhanced security systems, and services can add to the quality of life. The project through its dissemination strategy will try and remove the stigma attached to tower blocks and suggest ways to design socially acceptable towers.
Economic
The potential for
companies to benefit from the market will depend on their ability, their own abatement
costs and finally their commitment to reduce CO2 emissions.
For more information contact:
Call Marc Zanchetta
at Battle McCarthy at [++44] 0207 440 8282 or alternatively email: MZ@battlemccarthy.com
© Battle McCarthy 2001
Objectives: To reopen the debate on high-rise living in
today context i.e., growing suburbia, need for inner city density and living, potential
for renewable energy generation and advent of new technologies such as, cellular stacking
for car parking, etc.
To develop new design criteria that will lead to a new generation of sustainable high-rise tower in UK.
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