The tallest building between 2004-2007 Taipei’s Financial Center Corp (TFC) is now also looking to become the world’s tallest green building. The 101 floors structure will get its new looks in the next 18-month with a $1,9 million investment. TFC will primarily get new heating, cooling and ventilation system upgrades. Rainwater will be collected to be used for toilet flushing and conventional light bulbs will be replaced with energy-efficient ones.
TFC plans to reimburse its investment in only 3 years, as actual developments will save about $600,000 a year. This amount represents only 10% of its current annual electricity costs. In order to also reduce greenhouse gases emitted with transportation, the owner decided that the restaurants will only use locally produced food. The green upgrades will be carried out by Siemens while the environmental management will be managed by EcoTech International Group.
TFC hopes to get a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design(LEED) Certification from the US Green Building Council as it also has recently implemented a waste recycling program, a grey-water recycling system and a double-glazed glass curtain wall, which protects the occupants from Taiwan’s subtropical heat.
TFC chairman Harace Lin is confident that Taiwan 101 will get the well-deserved title of the “world’s tallest green building”.
The super skyscrapers have huge energy costs, more and more developing green technology in the next years. The next good example in this case is Chicago’s Sear Tower whose owners hope to get green and cut electricity costs by 80%, according to an announcement made earlier this year.
