But we love it even more when the very best practices of residential design are combined with principles of sustainability. Run entirely on electricity – the majority of which is generated by photovoltaic solar panels – the building is lit by a combination of LED and fluorescent lights, which are switched on or off depending on the amount of daylight present. One Central Park features vertical gardens on the facade. The twin towers of the World Trade Center in Manama, capital city of Bahrain, use the wind to full advantage. All this greenery helps improve air quality in. With its distinct cantilevered roof, reflective pools and skeletal structure (a signature of architect Santiago Calatrava) Rio's, A dozen famous buildings in nearby Dubai worth a look. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. Thanks to these features, over 60 percent of energy savings have been made. The design lets in fresh air and natural light to all parts of the campus. Bosco Verticale (Milan, Italy) Bosco Verticale translates to Vertical Forest. A "horizontal skyscraper" accommodating hotels, offices and a conference center, the Vanke Center is described by Steven Holl Architects as being, "as long as the Empire State Building is tall.". An open-air garden sits atop the retail portion of Robinson Tower. Vietnam's Vo Trong Nghia Architects has been tinkering away at the issue of providing practical, sustainable, and most… In this article I’ve put together 10 of my favourite eco houses from around the world. By Stephanie Strasnic k. Set on the banks of the Elbe River, Marco Polo Tower is one of Hamburg's most striking buildings. Meet the architect transforming cities into 'vertical forests'. The design also maximizes the amount of available natural light coming in, which reduces artificial lighting costs. According to MGS Architecture of India, the. Tenants keep chilly weather at bay with radiant heat that uses warm water circulated through tubes in the floor, and the graywater treatment system puts clean H20 back into the ground. Conceived from the outset to be modern, sustainable and environmentally friendly, the award-winning Belvoir Vue in Granby is a conservationist’s dream. Eco-tourism is a 21st-century trend, even if eco house designs … A new book looks at contemporary residences by such architects as Zaha Hadid and Richard Meier. Manchester helped lead the way during the Industrial Revolution, so it seems fitting one of its 21st century buildings is helping lead the way to a greener future. As cities cope with rapid population growth—adding 2.5 billion dwellers by 2050—and grapple with destructive sprawl, politicians, planners, and architects have become increasingly … Pawel Libera | LightRocket | Getty Images, Ian Trower | Robert Harding World Imagery | Getty Images, View Pictures | Universal Images Group | Getty Images, Ken Gillespie | All Canada Photos | Getty Images, Floating solar arrays point to bright future for clean energy, Oil price won't influence transition to clean energy: CEO, From OPEC to the future of energy: Leaders speak up at the World Energy Congress. Over 7,000 photovoltaic cells cover the building, generating 180 megawatt hours of clean energy annually. Fall House. As you’d expect with the current popularity and poignancy of terms like ‘green homes’, ‘eco friendly buildings… Standing 309 meters tall and completed in 2012, the tower makes use of cutting edge technology -- such as solar panels and low energy lighting systems -- to cement its place as one of the world's greenest buildings. Architect Stefano Boeri designed these deluxe apartments in the sky with plenty of spaces to accommodate large, full-grown trees, and a variety of ground cover plants and shrubs. The Pixel Building shows how "green" can be a multicolored affair. Smart controls will monitor everything from ventilation to heating and lighting, helping to cut energy bills in the process.