Sustainability is a process of maintaining environmental balance and harmony in resource exploitation, investment direction, technological development and institutional reform while satisfying human needs and future development. Its goal is to achieve energy efficiency, positive impact on residents' health, comfort and improved living environment.
It focus on three aspects:
- Environment
Take advantage of recycling and renovation opportunities, giving priority to recycled, low-carbon, durable building materials and construction methods.
- Economy
Green buildings create new green jobs needed to make the transition to a low-carbon economy. The design takes into account the full life cost, including embodied carbon emissions, carbon emissions during use and overall operation, to design a flexible and durable building that contributes to the local economy over the long term.
- Society
Consider the user's needs, including sunlight, air flow, visibility and temperature. It pays attention to the connection with outdoor space, the setting of sports place, the interaction between human and nature and the construction of community.
Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion
Since desert temperatures can soar to 50 ° C in summer, much of the building is set below ground level, helping to reduce cooling loads and conserve energy. The elevations above ground have stone cage waterproof walls that provide sufficient thermal mass to absorb heat.
The pavilion's green roof is planted with plants from the surrounding desert, creating a water-saving landscape that filters, resupplies and recycles water through a series of closed-loop systems. It also promotes new awareness of the uniqueness of the area and its biodiversity for customers.
The form of the ceiling works with the courtyard to bring in the cold air directly on the one hand and to expel the warm air from the lower level through the central chimney effect on the other. The ceiling also acts as a large rainwater and dew trap, which complements the building's water system.
