SUSTAINABILITY

MY PROJECT CONTAINS SEVERAL SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES. THE FIRST KEY ELEMENT IS THE EXTENSIVE GREEN ROOF WHICH PROMOTES BIODIVERSITY OF ANIMAL WILDLIFE AND IS MITIGATES HEAT AND IS QUITE LOW MAINTENANCE. THE ROOF IS ALSO A PARAPET WHICH PROTECTS THE BUILDING FROM WIND UPLIFT BY DIVERTING WIND FLOW UPWARDS. THE PARAPET ROOF IS SLANTED AT A SLIGHT ANGLE WITH A DRAIN ALONG ONE SIDE TO PREVENT WATER POOLING AN WATER DAMAGE TO THE CEILING, THIS WATER CAN BE COLLECTED AS GREY WATER AND USED TO FLUSH THE TOILETS IN THE BUILDING OR FOR WATERING PLANTS ON THE SITE. THE SITE ALSO RECYCLES WATER FROM THE RIVER BY PUMPING WATER FROM THE RIVER UP AROUND THE BUILDING VIA A BARSHA PUMP WATERMILL PLACED BELOW THE WATERFALL. IT IS CAPABLE OF PUMPING 43,000 LITRES OF WATER A DAY WITHOUT REQUIRING ANY ELECTRICITY AS IT IS POWERED VIA THE KINETIC ENERGY GENERATED BY THE FLOWING WATER, AND SO IS COST FREE WITH ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS.

THE BUILDING DOESN’T REQUIRE MUCH HEATING WHICH SAVES COSTS AND CAUSES LESS CARBON EMISSIONS AS A LOT OF HEAT ENTERS THE SPACE VIA THE LARGE WINDOWS COVERING THE FACADE.

TWO GLASS ENCLOSED ATRIUM CREATE STACK VENTILATION ALLOWING AIR TO PASS THROUGH THE OCULUS ROOF AND OUT THE SMALL VENTILATION HOLES IN THE GLASS, THE AIR IS COOLED ALONG THE WAY WHICH REDUCES THE COST OF AIR CONDITIONING. THE BUILDING IS FURTHER COOLED FROM THE WATER-WALL AT THE RECEPTION.