Philip Oldfield

Five energy generations of tall buildings: an historical analysis of energy consumption in high-rise buildings

Whilst there have been numerous categorisations of high-rise buildings according to their function, architectural style, height or structural strategy, historically little work has been undertaken to classify them based on factors affecting their energy performance — their shape and form, façade, attitude to natural lighting, ventilation strategies, etc. These factors have been influenced by regulatory changes, developments in technology and materials, changes in architectural thinking and economic and commercial drivers. Developments such as the New York Zoning Law of 1916, the postwar innovations in curtain wall façades and the energy crises of the 1970s have all impacted on the way tall buildings of the time were designed and operated. These events also had a significant impact on the quantity of energy and the way in which it was consumed in tall buildings of the time. This paper examines the history of energy use in tall buildings, from their origins in North America in the late nineteenth century to the present day. In doing so, it categorises tall buildings into five chronological ‘generations’, based on their energy consumption characteristics.

Bridging the Gap: An Analysis of Proposed Evacuation Links at Height in the World Trade Centre Design Competition Entries

Abstract The 9/11 collapse of the World Trade Center Towers has created the largest single retrospective analysis of tall building design in the past 40 years. In no field is this more relevant than in the field of evacuation. The case for an ‘alternative’ design solution for tall building evacuation—allowing horizontal evacuation at height through skybridge linkages—has already been made. However, to many people—and despite the real advantages as exemplified in built examples such as the Petronas Towers—the skybridge seems a purely fantastical proposition, with no relevance beyond isolated, one-off scenarios. This paper analyses the skybridge links of the numerous re-design proposals for the World Trade Center Towers, with the aim of establishing their advantages and how they could be incorporated into tall building design in the future.

A "Fabric-First" Approach to Sustainable Tall Building Design

This research suggests the most effective way for improving energy efficiency in tall buildings is a “fabric-first” approach. This involves optimizing the performance of the building form and envelope as a first priority, with additional technologies a secondary consideration. The paper explores a specific fabric-first energy standard known as “Passivhaus”. Buildings that meet this standard typically use 75% less heating and cooling. The results show tall buildings have an intrinsic advantage in achieving Passivhaus performance, as compared to low-rise buildings, due to their compact form, minimizing heat loss. This means high-rises can meet Passivhaus energy standards with double-glazing and moderate levels of insulation, as compared to other typologies where triple-glazing and super-insulation are commonplace. However, the author also suggests that designers need to develop strategies to minimize overheating in Passivhaus high-rises, and reduce the quantity of glazing typical in highrise residential buildings, to improve their energy efficiency.