Asia construction frenzy needs green injection

Typography
Powered by solar energy generated on its roof, Taipei 101, the world's tallest completed building, is not only a leader for its breathtaking height but also for its eco-friendly features.

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Powered by solar energy generated on its roof, Taipei 101, the world's tallest completed building, is not only a leader for its breathtaking height but also for its eco-friendly features.

Finished in 2004, the skyscraper is a rare example of green design in Asia, a region with the world's busiest construction sector yet one of the poorest records for eco-friendly building.

China alone is said to be building half of the world's new floor space, but the vast majority of these new projects will be energy guzzlers. Environmentalists worry that these buildings will produce high carbon emissions for decades to come.

!ADVERTISEMENT!

"Energy efficiency is fast becoming one of the defining issues of our times, and buildings are that issue's 'elephant in the room'," Bjorn Stigson, president of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, said in a statement.

Article continues