It will not go on a skyscraper in terms of height, and about the building, which itself would provide energy. The implementation of these eco-projects in China began a long time ago. So far, however, a large spread of such "my best" is not got but, nevertheless, the precedent is created, and it is small - for the introduction of energy-saving technologies in the broad practice. Today we will talk about the project Towers "Pearl River", meets all the new trends in eco-construction. However, this is not a project, but has a real object, which is being built in the city of Guangzhou in southern China. In China, many cities, it is quite natural for the huge population. Perfect Guangzhou rightly be called one of the most dynamic cities in China. Guangzhou is growing before our eyes, turning into a kind of industrial paradise. However, with the advent of new neighborhoods and industrial enterprises are increasingly urgent issue of environmental security. A huge throbbing metropolis consumes a colossal amount of energy. In the process of energy required for the needs of, thrown into the atmosphere hundred tons of pollutants and carbon dioxide. And as we already know, that CO2 is the main culprit of global warming and natural disasters occurring in the world. Thus, the tower, which has a truly picturesque name of "Pearl River", built in the Tianhe district of Guangzhou city. Originally, developers planned the Pearl River as energopolozhitelnoe building, ie not only generate energy for their own needs, but also to give it to another object. Later, however, this idea was abandoned. Indeed, to make a huge house potentiate the energy required for self-service is difficult, let alone turn the skyscraper into a powerhouse of the donor at all inconceivable. The first stone was laid Towers September 8, 2006, and by the end of 2010 skyscraper planned to put into operation. Now we can see from the pictures, sent from the construction site that the construction process is in full swing. The height of the building has reached an important point - the level of the first wind turbines, which will be located in the giant, literally penetrating house channels. Total planned two rows of turbines: the first, about 20-21 level, and the second - on 40-41. Thus, the technical floors, windswept, divide the Tower for three nearly equal parts. On the destination of turbines we describe in detail below, but the thoughtful reader, of course, realized that the wind turbines will serve as a great power converter wind into electricity.
The appearance of the Tower, "Pearl River" looks like a giant blue wave that rises from the concrete jungle. This intricate design came up with the famous American architect Gordon Gill, who had previously worked in a no less famous architects SOM (Skidmore, Owings and Merrill), and is now a partner in his own company Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. Also participated in the development of architect Adrian Smith and engineer Roger Frechette. Today for the project is still the responsibility of the architectural engineering firm SOM. Chicago architects have repeatedly praised his office, for example, that built the famous "Freedom Tower" in New York. Skidmore also designed the Burj Dubai, that he will soon become the tallest building in the world. So, we hope this project will serve as a worthy continuation of the "hall of fame» SOM. The customer of Pear River Tower acted as China's largest producer of tobacco products - China National Tobacco Corporation. The tower is located in the corporate headquarters. It would be interesting to know what is dictated by the sudden desire for green building: the banal desire for fame, or excessive frugality really cares about nature? Perhaps the true answer to this question will most likely secret. We can assume that CNTN moved yet mercantile interests. Thus, in his order to develop the project the main condition was to collect all the most famous and new technologies in the field of "green building" and organically put them in the same building, Kojima became the Pearl River. Tower "Pearl River" is a fully self-sufficient structure which does not require the rich ornaments. The impressive size of a skyscraper and its unprecedented streamlined shape - the best decor is much brighter than the pompous spiers or magic multicolor illumination. The height of the building according to the project plan considerable - 310 meters. A total of 71 floor house provides - 69 offices and 2 technical. It is at the technical level will arrange giant wind turbines that will set vertically in special channels. This arrangement of wind turbines more efficient. The developers estimate that the autonomous windmills would provide 15 times less energy than those to be integrated into the building. In general, this is understandable. At the height of one hundred meters are blowing strong winds. In addition, the wind speed will increase by 2.5 times due to design features of the building. The facade of a skyscraper in the shape of a giant vertical waves gently rounded front of each channel with wind turbines. In the resulting giant slot airflow head out with greater force, contributing to the huge capacity of rotation of the turbine blades and potentiating megawatts of power generation. Another positive characteristic holes in the skyscraper - reducing the wind load on the building, which will inevitably have all the skyscrapers. Location facilities also chosen by chance, the facade of the house is oriented towards the winds blowing from the south of China. According to lead project architect Gordon Gill (Gordon Gill), this is not just a building, and "high-performance tool formed the sun and the wind." The sun and the wind of the desert dunes usually form. Flowing forms of "Pearl River" and they just remind. Moreover, here the waves - not just the original design, but also the structural necessity. Together with architect Adrian Smith (Adrian Smith) and engineer Roger Frechette (Roger Frechette) Jill came up with a bright structure, in which the authors have used almost all the tricks commonly used in "green" buildings. For example, there will be performed a special double glazed south façade (with ventilation between the panes) that reduce the heating of the building. There will also be arranged automatic blinds, turns on the right angle as the sun travels across the sky as well - opening in cloudy weather to increase natural lighting offices. All this will reduce the cost of air conditioning. Of course, there was no place for series of solar panels that supply electricity to the batteries of the building. And besides photovoltaic panels are mounted and solar thermal collectors to heat the water for the inhabitants of the skyscraper.
That's why architects have drawn such a streamlined shape. The smooth rounded walls direct the air in these narrow channels, where even small pressure differences between the two main facades are converted into a fairly rapid flow driven by an electric "mill". But this generation of energy should be more substantial because the main facade of the tower is oriented in the direction of the prevailing wind in this city. In the Pearl River and provides a host of other innovations, significantly saving money for maintenance of the building and promoting the rational layout of premises. For example, the floor is built a system in which circulates chilled liquid. Thus, air conditioning is carried out. Engineers have managed to avoid the bulk of networks of forced air cooling. The freed space used for the device 5 additional floors, and without any additional costs and to increase the height of the original building. In Guangzhou, the most of the warm and humid, so the developers have paid great attention not only to the cooling system, but also dehumidification. It is organized as a hidden ventilation shafts, which features passive dehumidifiers, allowing to remove excess moisture without using energy resources. Dry heat will flow from the channels arranged between double glazed south facade. Such ventilation windows also reduce the overall heating of the building and as a result, costs for its conditioning. Solar energy will be used in full, no less than the wind. For this facade framed photovoltaic panels. Surplus energy will be stored in batteries. Special panels not only provide for capturing solar energy, but also reduce the heating of the building. Cover glass in the windows of the Pearl River is also not normal, and anti-reflective, promotes reflection of sunlight. These glasses, first, to help avoid unnecessary overheating of office space, and secondly, increase comfort while on the premises, creating soft lighting in the rooms. In addition, all windows equipped with "smart" automatic blinds. They will be independently opened and closed depending on the position of the sun in the sky. Saving water, however, as the heating of the building, the Tower is conceived with the latest environmental fashion. For example, the house will introduce heat collectors, in which water is heated by solar energy. This will start up the hot water for heating and domestic purposes. Where does the water itself will be taken? From the sky. The roof will install rainwater collectors, who will direct it for further purification and processing. For more water conservation forest in Perl River Tower organize waterless urinals. As a result, the flow of water from the outside will be needed in much smaller quantities than is normally required for such facilities. In the cooling system of the building, which will work in a very hot, humid and sunny climate, the authors conceived to apply still a number of innovations that can reduce energy consumption by the climate control. This passive ventilation air dryers (ventilation channels are in the floors of the building), and the air cooling system in offices with high efficiency. In contrast to common systems of centralized air-conditioning, it is based on the refrigerant circulates through the numerous branched channels, also penetrating floors on all floors. Construction of Pearl River Tower is completed by 2009. Its authors believe that this project - a great opportunity to bring together almost all of the currently known "green" technology for skyscrapers. Especially because this is the order and was the organizer of the contest - the company CNTC. 71-storey Pearl River Tower was completed in March 2011. But the lofty dreams SOM remained out of reach. Pearl River Tower still consumes energy, but almost 60% less than a traditional building of similar size.