Being in Taiwan, the building must also deal with the high humidity that is a natural part of the climate. To do this, the building has two sensors on each floor that monitor the humidity level and activate the chilled water system within the air conditioning units to reduce the humidity.
Taipei 101 also includes a variety of energy-efficient lighting, motion-controlled lights that help reduce energy use, rooms designed to encourage the use of desk lamps rather than the overhead lights, and many other features that helped Taipei 101 achieve an 18 percent savings in energy use over the last three years.
In addition to these features, the landscape surrounding Taipei 101 is 100 percent watered by harvested rainwater, reducing the amount of water use by a significant amount. All of the sinks, toilets, and urinals are motion-sensor activated as well. These combined features help Taipei 101 save 28.0 tons of water annually.
Taipei 101 also sponsors the nearby Zhong-Qiang Park in order to preserve the green environment and reduce CO2 emissions, helping improve the air quality for the entire city. Even the location of the parking lots, in the basement level, contributes to Taipei 101′s environmental efforts, as this location reduces the urban heat island effect.
SOURCE: Taipei 101, Earth Techling
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Taipei 101’s management spent more than two years and over $200
million to transform the building for the LEED certification. Although the idea
of getting the building certified was likely a part of the building’s overall marketing
strategy in the first place, it is still encouraging to have such a powerful
player join Taiwan’s sustainability field. Prior to receiving the LEED Platinum
Certification, Taipei 101 has already been involved in many sustainable
activities. Some examples include the World Earth Day, the Earth Hour, and the
adoption of environmental friendly materials for the firework on New Year’s Eve.
However, the LEED Platinum Certification really takes the effort to the next
level. This requires commitment and cooperation from the 101 management as well
as all the tenants in the building. I am proud of Taipei 101’s achievement, and
I hope this can further promote green building and sustainability in Taiwan.