One Central Park:
One Central Park was developed as a response to growing demand for residential
housing in downtown Sydney. Its developers and designers used the opportunity to
make a powerful and visible green statement with a tall building that is
environmentally responsive on multiple levels. With a planted veil that purifies the
air, offers shade, and speaks of a naturally linked urban life, as well as a
technologically forceful system that directs the sun's rays where they are most
needed.
Mechanism:
OCP (One Central Park) reduces its cooling energy load with a five-kilometer-long
system of linear slab-edge planters, As shown in figure 1, that function like
permanent shading shelves and reduce thermal impact in the apartments by about
20%. The plants are grown hydroponically in a substrate for mechanical root
adhesion and are irrigated with water from the on-site storm water collection tanks
and the central recycling plant. OCP's passive solar power system is contained 42
sun-tracking heliostats, each of which targets 42 of the 320 individual fixed mirrors
in the Fresnel reflector cantilevered off the taller tower, which are associated to
specific target zones on the ground: the park, the swimming pool, and the glass
roof of the atrium. The system redirects up to 200 square meters of direct sunlight,
along with approximately 40 to 60% of its corresponding power, during Sydney's
2,600 annual sunshine hours.
Figure 1 represented the design of the One Central Park
points of strength:
1. One Central Park showcases innovative design features such as green walls
and rooftop gardens, these features act like permanent shade covers, helping
to keep the building cooler by blocking out some of the sun's heat.
2. The integration of solar panels allows for on-site renewable energy
generation, supporting sustainability goals and reducing dependence on
fossil fuels.
3. By creating public spaces and promoting urban life, One Central Park fosters
a sense of community and contributes to an inclusive atmosphere.
points of weaknesses:
1. Its inability to completely mitigate its environmental impact during the
construction phase, as even with sustainable practices, construction
processes involve resource consumption and emissions to local ecosystems.
2. High initial costs associated with advanced green technologies may make it
difficult to replication of similar projects, despite long-term environmental
and economic benefits.
3. It's not entirely dependent on green energy, as besides solar panels, it also
utilizes gas-powered generators.
