Go Green is the new age slogan and everyone wants to embrace it like never before. Buildings are being constructed keeping in mind the effect it will have on the surroundings. The carbon footprint is being kept in mind, which will keep the further deterioration of the environment under check. However, at times people make an effort to sell the eco-friendly concept without even being close to the claims. This sends a wave of laughter after assessing how desperate can people act to declare that their buildings are green in nature. Here is a list of five such buildings that will force you to roll on the floor with laughter because of such meaningless claims.
1. Perkins + Willâs Antilla âGreenâ Tower in Mumbai
The Ambani residence has been in news from quite some time now. It has been claimed that the Antilla building, located on Altamount Road, Mumbai, which has 27 floors has all the traits of a clean and green construction. The tall claims fall short as it is anything but eco-friendly. Antilla comes wrapped in foliage and boasts of hanging gardens plus a green rooftop. However, if you peep inside this deceptive facade it will dictate an altogether different story. Except the green outside, the inside has no traits of eco-friendliness. Architect firm Perkins + Will have failed to come up with an explanation with the sustainable features that ornament the inside of this building.
2. 1st LEED PARKING GARAGE: Santa Monica Civic Center
The parking garage at Santa Monica Civic center can be used to park 900 vehicles at a time. The building happily meets all the guidelines set by US Green Building Council LEED. The top of its roof has been swathed with solar photovoltaic panels, which will harness energy from the sun and provide the much-needed shade for parking at the top most level. The six-storey building has been made using salvaged materials and low VOC-paints and finishes were used to coat its surfaces. But, sadly only 14 out of 900 spaces (less than 2 percent if calculated) has been devoted for parking electric vehicles. It will majorly be used to park gas-guzzling beasts so all the green traits go down the drain after seeing the percentage being dedicated for the parking of eco-friendly vehicles.
3. LEED Certified Spaceport
The worldâs first private Spaceport will be built in New Mexico, which will throw people into space for 7 minutes. This short space visit will cost you $200,000. The purpose build commercial spaceport will supposedly send thrill chills without harming the atmosphere. It will be constructed in a way to capture western winds and natural light. However, going up in the air will mean burning a great mixture of rubber and nitrous oxide, which throws all claims of the building being sustainable out of the window. The building has been certified by LEED and has a platinum accreditation. The activities that will take place in the green building seem to be exactly opposite to the eco-friendly tag.
4. Dubious Dubai
Dubai may brag about the worldâs tallest building and an impressive skyline, but it bears a sad picture when it comes to keeping the beautiful surroundings in mind. Never-ending constructions has made the surroundings all the more polluted, even if the buildings being constructed come with a claim of being environmentally-friendly. Construction workers outnumber the residents, one-third of the worldâs construction cranes are in Dubai and the endless creations demand transporting a lot of material at the site of construction, which definitely consumes precious fuel.
5. BP Builds First LEED Certified Gas Station
Helios House looks like a spaceship, but is a green gas station of BP located in LA. It has been made from heat reflecting steel and the top has been fitted with solar panels. The roof has many cacti and it has a rainwater collection system. Recycled aluminum has been used to bring the metalwork to life and the motion-sensing lighting is quite impressive. Without a second thought, the building comes injected with green traits but it will sell oil, which is just not an eco-friendly sign.
