The new UN City complex in Copenhagen’s Free Port, which will form the central location for all United Nations organizations based in Copenhagen, demonstrates the United Nations’ commitment to promote environmental sustainability though green building.
Designed by Danish architect firm 3XN, the new office complex contains a number of energy-reducing and eco-friendly features that control the amount of energy used for heating, cooling, lighting and ventilation.
Sustainable features earns GreenBuilding award 2012
More than 1,400 solar panels have been installed on the roof of the building to support the goal of generating renewable energy, while seawater is pumped into the basement to act as a refrigerant in the building’s cooling system.
Furthermore, water use in the building’s toilets, kitchens and showers is predicted to be reduced by more than 60 %, largely thanks to the reuse of rainwater. It has been estimated that the UN City will capture an average of almost 3 million liters of rainwater annually, almost enough to flush the entire building’s toilets for a year.
To reduce pollution from transportation and encourage employees to cycle to work, the UN City has also made more than 680 bicycle racks available.
Implementing these features has enabled the UN city to reduce its predicted energy consumption by more than 55 %, earning it the European Commission’s GreenBuilding Award for New Buildings in 2012.