Taiwan's Green Roofs

Inhabitat.com reports the Chinatrust Bank plans a 3-skyscraper complex, complete with green roofs.

The buildings have a host of green building features, including passive heating and cooling mechanisms, the use of daylight for lighting, and of course, green roofs. Water Barrels and Storage

NBBJ Architects of Los Angeles, designed the three buildings. NBBJ is a leading designer of green buildings, including their own LEED Gold headquarters.

The Chinatrust Bank headquarters is "...complex comprises three high-rises: a 30-story headquarter building, a 21 story office, and a 10 story hotel. A community-centered retail base will occupy the lower 4 levels, and an open-air central plaza will unite all of the spaces into one cohesive unit." Organic Flowers & Gourmet Gifts

Chinatrust Bank chose the green roof element to help reduce heating and cooling costs, as well as reduce storm water runoff and fine particulate air pollution. Further, the green roofs help to reduce the urban heat island effect. Let's hope that we will see more green roofs in Taiwan!

Bill Gates' Green Roof

For many, Bill Gates is a man they love to hate. Yet the Microsoft founder, and yes, philanthropist, has put an enormous green roof on the garage of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation HQ.

Its not just any green roof. In the style befitting the world's richest man, it is the biggest green roof in all of Seattle. It covers 60,000 sq ft.

According to earthfirst.com, which is the primary source for this article, both the garage and headquarters building are seeking LEED gold certification.

In a press release from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the green roof, once fully established, will sustain itself via rain water. Additionally, the foundation campus will use rain water and other non-potable water for irrigation and other purposes. Discover Top Rated Mighty Leaf Herbal Tea. Tea lovers love our delicious herbal tea blends. You will too. Save 25% on your first order!

The structure was designed by NBBJ, and the campus will be built by Sellen Construction.

Canada's Largest Green Roof is in Vancouver

World Architecture News reports:

...Vancouver Convention Centre West, ... with 6 acres of green roof it boasts the largest in Canada, and the largest non-industrial green roof in North America. This combined with many other eco-measures is set to help the project achieve LEED Canada Gold certification.

The green roof itself is a thing of great beauty and purpose. According to the article, there are "...400,000 indigenous plants and grasses,..." Additionally, a roof this size helps to control heating and cooling costs, as well as reducing air pollution. Discover Top Rated Mighty Leaf Herbal Tea. Tea lovers love our delicious herbal tea blends. You will too. Save 25% on your first order!

This is not a beautiful project, but also allows Vancouver's green roof credentials to take root. While the city boasts the Centre for Architectural Ecology - Collaborations in Green Roofs and Living Walls, the Convention Center will also create habitat for marine life, as well as improve the shoreline.

While the green roof is the most obvious "green" feature of the structure, it also uses the most advanced in green technologies. There is a significant waste water recycling. Heating and cooling is aided by using a heat pump system, "...that takes advantage of the constant temperature of adjacent seawater,..." and uses window placement for lighting. Water Barrels and Storage The Convention Centre's expansion was designed to be "...used as a hub to support 7,000 media during the XXI Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games."

The design and architectural work was done by Architects LMN and Vancouver-based Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership as well as DA Architects & Planners.

This beautiful new addition will also serve to provide Vancouver with the opportunity to compete with Toronto for the World Green Roof Congress in the years to come. Mountain House Freeze-Dried Food

The UK's Greenest Hospital

World Architecture News reports:

Construction has begun on the first phase of the new, £300m Mittal Children’s Medical Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust (GOSH), which is on target to become the UK’s ‘greenest’ medical building to date.

GOSH sought to have the building be a leader in sustainable development and includes many green components. Mountain House Freeze-Dried Food

Working with the architectural firm of Llewelyn Davies Yeang (LDY), GOSH is estimated to reduce about 20,000 tons of CO² annually. This reduction is also part of "...GOSH’s targets of a 120% carbon reduction and 60+ per cent renewable energy contribution by 2016, when Phase 2 of the project is due to complete."

LDY is noted as being a "deep green" design firm, with projects in over 15 countries. Not only do they design building with green components but also develop "eco design strategies" for their clients.

The building will include glazed glass panels to bring in a significant amount of natural, while also deflecting the heat from the increased amount of light. The building will also include significant amounts of natural ventilation, reducing the HVAC loads typical in buildings of this size (30,000 sq m). While the picture appears to show a green roof, I haven't been able to find supporting documentation. However, it would be consistent with LDY to have a green roof, as they have included them on many of their projects. Further, a green roof on a hospital would provide a peaceful respite from the stress of medical care, as well as further reducing HVAC costs. Cheap? No. 100% Free. Trade stocks for free on Zecco.com. The Free Trading Community.

The growth and renovation of this hospital is due in part to a generous donation of £15 million donation from the Aditya and Megha Mittal family.