In Dubai, money really does seem to grow on trees. But instead of trees, construction cranes are filling the skyline.  What only a generation ago was known primarily as a trade port of call, is now a global city and now boasts some of the most compelling architecture being built today. Dubai is home to the largest mall in the world, as well as the tallest building in the world.

Their construction boom has quickly illuminated a concern that their government intends to resolve through code changes: glass buildings are too inefficient.

In fact, glass buildings are proving to be the biggest challenge to sustainability, said Environmental and Sustainability Planning representative for the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipal Affairs, Matthew Plumbridge at the Construction Week Building Sustainability into the Middle East Conference. The heavy cost of cooling glass areas, especially in hot countries, is a great challenge and forcing the development of HVAC systems to keep up.

He continued, saying that Abu Dhabi’s new energy code will limit the amount of fenestration in buildings. Going forward, Abu Dhabi will be constructed of building materials that will hold long-term value and improve energy efficiency and sustainability.

What a directive!

Closer to home, numbers from McGraw Hill Construction indicate that “green building” has maintained a fairly steady pace of construction right through the current economic downturn. When buildings like the University of Chicago’s Business Instructional Facility are operating with energy costs 51% better than budget, investing in new structures is less daunting to owners because of the long-term savings.

University of Illinois Business Instructional Facility. Image courtesy of the College of Business at ILLINOIS

The design team for the Business Instructional Facility demonstrated the benefit to maintaining an opaque envelope to fenestration ratio of 80%-20% to be significant and designed the building accordingly. In this case, a well-insulated masonry cavity wall provided the opaque portion of the envelope.

The university didn’t ask for that ratio. At the time, campus had no LEED certified buildings. Many buildings were 100 years old and operating on steam heat. The architect and design team brought this to the client. As such, the building is well above code minimum for wall R-value and is extremely energy efficient.

On the other hand, other designers are suggesting and creating buildings for clients that are largely glass. No matter how hard they try, no matter how expensive and high tech the glass, the building cannot be truly energy efficient. Hot climate, like Abu Dhabi, or no. 

Should the days of glass buildings be behind us now? Is energy conservation more important than an unobstructed view? Can fewer, but carefully placed windows be as effective in providing daylighting­­­­­­­, connection with the outdoors and “lightness of design”, while still allowing an opaque building envelope to help insulate and regulate heating and cooling needs?