Do Taller Buildings Require More Energy? (OR-16-C008)

Do tall buildings consume more energy per square foot than typical buildings? According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, more buildings exceeding 200 m in height were constructed in 2014 than ever before. Is this increase in height accompanied by an increased EUI? Energy benchmarking data from New York and Chicago, two of America’s tall-building giants, is used to approach the question from an empirical perspective. Full building energy simulations are presented to approach the question from a modeling perspective. Governing principles of heat transfer, fluid dynamics and building physics are presented to approach the question from a theoretical perspective. Lastly, the audience is engaged to debate and settle the question for good.