The Dynamic Tower, Dubai UAE

Today’s topic is Green Design in Dubai, specifically, The Dynamic Tower, an 80 story, envoironmentally friendly building that is currently under construction. If you scroll through this blog’s archive, you can see my first touch on Dubai. My friend suggested that I write on the Eco-friendly side of this marvelous city. Okay, I will. He should consider this a wedding present, since he is getting married this weekend.

Dubai does have a green initiative and does follow “green building” standards as of January 2008. Come to find out, the United Arab Emirates has the largest Ecological footprint in the world, not America. Whoa! They are taking serious steps to reduce water consumption from 550 gallons per head/day to 250 gallons per day over a period of years.

An Arab company called Cyber Gear has also launched a website called Go-Green, a tool for everyday green living ideas and advice.

http://www.go-green.ae/

Leave it to Dubai, they will also have the one of the World’s first moving skyscraper, if not the first planned. It also happens to be Eco Friendly, as stated above. The Dynamic Tower is a building in which each floor rotates to take advantage of wind power; all 80 stories. It is also Solar powered with photovoltaic solar panels. Since each floor is CONSTANTLY in motion, 20% of the “roofs” are exposed to the sun at all times. This will create more solar energy than what the building will actually use. A full rotation takes about 3 hours. This $700 million project was the brainchild of Italian Architect, David Fisher. There is another one planned for Moscow in the near future. The completion date for the Dynamic Tower in Dubai is 2010.

picture from:

http://www.artnowmag.com/Magazine/Reports/2008/jun/Reports_Jun08.php

Each floor is fabricated off site, cutting down on cost by 10% and increases construction efficiency by 30%. That makes me smile. When I read most articles on green design, they mostly fail to mention that to get the structures in place to crank out eco friendly cars, build wind turbines etc., they clear cut land and trees, leaving a scar on the ecosystem surrounding it. Ugh.

http://www.dynamicarchitecture.net/_GREEN.html

The Dynamic Tower was named one of TIME Magazine’s best inventions of 2008.

As a last aside on what….umm….. Architects(?) have planned in Dubai, Brad Pitt has an Eco Friendly Hotel in the works. Yep, I’ll let that sink in for a moment........

I think it is great that he is spreading the word on green design, kudos Mr. Jolie. But after researching The Dynamic Tower, I come across this little nugget, I can't help to snicker. (insert and LOL here)
Now, before all of you ‘Legends of the Fall’ fans go ape on me, I commend Brad for being named Green Design consultant for this project. He will be working with an Architectural firm and according to sources, using his architectural chops. He must know his stuff. He must have passed the LEED exam like Sarah R. O’Keeffe did, but unlike some others I know. You know who you are, and you are nothing like Brad Pitt.