17.01.2012
Building technologies from Siemens has helped the Taipei 101 skyscraper to receive one of the most prestigious awards for environmentally friendly building design — LEED certification in Platinum. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is one of the world’s most important assessment systems for environmentally friendly buildings, and Platinum is the highest of its four categories. To receive Platinum certification, a building must be 30 percent more energy efficient than the average.
Taipei 101, which was optimized over a period of 20 months at a cost of US$2 million, now boasts approximately ten percent lower electricity and water consumption and waste volume than was the case prior to the modernization measures. Annual energy costs have been reduced by US$700,000. Carbon dioxide emissions have decreased by nearly 3,000 tons per year — the equivalent of the emissions of 240 vehicles over the same period. Siemens made a major contribution to the building’s successful certification in the energy, atmosphere, and air quality categories. The 508-meter Taipei 101 skyscraper is now the tallest green building in the world. It was the tallest building in general when it opened in 2004. From the very start, the structure was designed with energy efficiency in mind, and it was also equipped with the Siemens Apogee building management system, among other things.
Apogee was expanded into an energy monitoring and control system for the LEED certification process, which allowed Siemens to conduct detailed analyses of energy consumption. An energy audit was also carried out to identify savings potential. Optimization measures focused on the building’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units, as these account for more than 40 percent of total energy consumption. Temperature and humidity sensors were installed on each floor, and the entire facility was recalibrated. Among other things, the energy management system automatically shuts down lighting and cooling systems in the evening. In addition, the operating times for the cooling system were adjusted to ensure it can run primarily at night, when electricity is cheaper. The system produces ice that helps cool the building the next day.
Buildings are responsible for roughly 40 percent of global energy consumption, which is why energy-efficient technologies offer substantial savings potential.