The Burj Khalifa has just entered the history books as World’s tallest building and also entered the eco history books as a marvel of ecological excess. At just over a half mile high, this engineering wonder in Dubai, the city of excess, will undoubtedly earn a eco black mark for its consumption of non-renewable resources.
According to a recent blog post at The Red White and Green here’s how the Burj Khalifa’s massive environmental footprint stacks up:
•Water: Around 250,000 gallons of water a day
•Electricity: At peak times, roughly 40,000 kilowatts — the equivalent of 500,000 100-watt light bulbs burning at the same time
•Raw materials: Nearly 40,000 tons of steel — enough to stretch a quarter of the way around the earth if laid end to end
•Wasted space: The upper 30+ floors are so tiny, they can only be used for storage
Apparently though, The Red White and Green says it does have at least one eco-feature . . . “Condensation produced by the structure during Dubai’s hot and humid summer months will be collected and used to water the tower’s plants and landscaping.”
