Beijing’s Tallest Tower Reaches For LEED Certification

Inhabitat reports on the grand opening of the China World Trade Tower III, which becomes the tallest building in Beijing at 81 stories. Housing a 270-room hotel, offices, restaurants, meeting and commercial spaces, the tower is also aiming for Gold-level certification according to the guidelines of LEED for New Construction (LEED-NC). Altogether, the building has a gross area of 5.8 million square feet.

Designed by global architectural firm Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill and the engineering company Arup, the 330m-tall tower is built to withstand the Beijing area’s occasional earthquakes, while also incorporating numerous sustainable features into its design. Energy-efficient LED lighting on the exterior structure, and a façade covered in fritted glass and metal fins that act as vertical sunshades, reduce the need for artificial lighting while lessening the building’s heating and cooling needs.

According to the article, the building was opened on the 20^th anniversary of the China World Trade Center, which opened August 30, 1990. The tower has been designed to serve as the Central Business District’s signature feature, and includes a four-story above-grade expansion connecting it to the underground China World Mall, a 1,600-seat grand ballroom and retail podium with rooftop garden, and landscaped water garden. Open courtyards surrounding the tower’s base welcome visitors to the tower while providing respite from the densely populated urban environment that surrounds the site.

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Chris Timmerman
Contributing Writer
Green Education Services
www.greenedu.com