Eco Factor: Sustainable city center to minimize energy and water usage.
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) have recently been awarded the contract to design a sustainable Central Business District in Beijing that will help eliminate 215,000 tons of CO2 annually, an equivalent of planting 14 million adult trees.
The project will integrate into the existing infrastructure and introduce energy-efficient buildings and green public space. The project will see the development of three new areas – The Cultural, Chaoyang and the Gateway Districts. All these areas will be built around new parks and green boulevards.
SOM has also created a framework for new high-performance buildings that will enable the city to grow in a sustainable fashion. The plan incorporates several energy-saving features that will collectively help reduce energy consumption by as much as 50%, reduce water consumption by 48%, reduce landfill waste by 80%, which collectively will help reduce emissions by as much as 50%.
Via: Inhabitat
