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Putting the park inside of a building might have dystopian overtones – the only wildlife in Soylent Green, after all, was at the crematorium. But it’s a natural extension of the green building concept and the evolving sense of urbanism. To save energy and resources, people are increasingly going to move toward cities. Forty percent of China’s population already lives in urban centers, according to Stanley Yip, director of planning and development for Arup China, an urban development firm. (China also has two billion square meters of new construction a year, adds Yip.)

“In China, cities are about survival. For the Chinese it is not a lifestyle choice, and it is rapidly becoming the same for America itself,” said John Kriken, a consulting partner with Skidmore Owings and Merrill.

China has taken some steps toward energy efficient urban planning, he noted. Many of the developments by Shui On Land get rave reviews for blending lifestyle comfort into projects. Generic residential structures are aligned east to west to get two hours of natural sunlight a day. If an apartment gets less, it is reclassified as a workspace. Still, miles and miles of east-west apartment blocks creates monotony. 

If people are going to be crowded in cities, they will need open space. And with real estate at a premium, it makes sense to build up. Many panelists at the conference expressed a worry that too much attention is being paid to showcase projects. Still, big projects like these often become test beds for concepts and technologies that are used later on. The proof that energy efficiency and LEED buildings do not have to cost more than conventional buildings was largely derived from showcase projects.

The Shanghai Tower, which will open in 2014 and is part of a three-skyscraper development, would also use far less energy and water than conventional buildings. Rainwater recovery and grey water recycling systems will cut water use by a minimum of 40 percent. The owners may even include black water treatment. This involves taking sewage and purifying it to drinking level standards – Singapore, which imports half of its water from Malaysia, does this already for a small percentage of its water supply.

The 632 meter high tower, which will sport 5.4 million square feet of floor space, will also have wind turbines to run the exterior lights. Cooling and heating, two of the big energy hogs in the world today, will be provided in part through geothermal systems and thermal mass storage, i.e., giant ice machines that will produce ice at night for cooling in the day.