The zero energy Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou, China, is a major step forward in designing for the 21st century. The tower represents a new kind of building—one that is formed to work symbiotically with the surrounding environment. This lecture describes the design process for the building and illustrates how a holistic approach to design can result in a building that embodies balance between performance, function, and beauty.

   Learning objectives:

• Describe trends in sustainable design and how those trends are being integrated into zero energy buildings
• Compare a truly holistic, integrated approach to design with a more “conventional” design approach in the construction of sustainable buildings
• Summarize sustainable practices in the design of supertall structures