Masdar Headquarters, (zero waste, zero carbon emission) Masdar City

• Chicago architecture firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill
• 1.4 million sq ft mixed use building
• ground-breaking ceremony on February 9, 2008, will be completed by the end of 2010
• Masdar City will be constructed over 7 phases to be completed by 2016
• buildings solar roof (one of the largest in the world) will be constructed first, and power the construction of the rest of the building
• building will produce more power than it needs
• largest solar thermal driven cooling and dehumidification system
• consume about 70% less water than a typical mixed-use building of its size
• PROJECT ANIMATION
  

Source: http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/33088

Dubai 1st Green City in the World

The instruction issued by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, that all buildings in Dubai would have to be constructed as per environment-friendly "green building standards" from January next year (2008). come as a major boost to the international climate initiative.

The latest decision makes Dubai one of the first in the world, and the only city in the Middle East region, to go for the "green building standards".

This system also has a plethora of benefits to derive from. For example, a green building, according to the US Green Buildings Council, can save, on an average, 70 per cent of electricity, between 50 and 60 per cent of water, and 36 per cent of energy more when compared to the standard buildings.

Burj al-Taqa ("Energy Tower")

A Zero-Energy Tower in the Desert
Sarah Rich
June 21, 2007 3:04 PM

German architect, Eckhard Gerber, who currently holds CAD drawings for the tallest zero-emissions, zero-energy skyscraper in the world.
"a giant 68-story building projected to rise to a lofty height of 322 meters (1,056 feet), which would make it number 22 on the list of the world's tallest buildings."

1st Zero-carbon and Zero-waste City

How cool is this (although the picture makes it look rather dank and dingy)! And when can I move to one in Canada? lol

Source: http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/05/09/norman-fosters-green-desert-utopia-in-dubai/

Dubai - DIFC Lighthouse Tower

66-story office tower nicknamed ‘The Lighthouse.’ Conceptualized by Atkins Middle East, The Lighthouse strives to make low carbon commercial towers a reality in Dubai by reducing the total energy consumption up to 65% and water consumption up to 40%. The height and shape of The Lighthouse play pivotal roles in its goals for low energy consumption, allowing for the instillation of three enormous 225 KV wind turbines (29 meters in diameters), and 4,000 photovoltaic panels on the south facing façade.

Source: http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/05/01/the-lighthouse-dubais-1st-low-carbon-commercial-tower/