The world’s first moving building, a skyscraper with 80 independently rotating floors, is being planned for Dubai (which has big green plans for 2008), with another 70-storey structure to be built in Moscow.

These cutting edge buildings, over 400 meters tall, will be constructed of prefabricated sections mounted on a central concrete core, at an estimated cost of $700m.  Catering to the upper crust, apartments are priced to sell at $3.7m – $36m, and will include such necessities as in-house parking, indoor swimming pools, voice controlled systems and an ever changing view.

Aside from the tremendous “cool” factor, the design incorporates a number of advanced environmental building principles (links to EPA in the United States):

Wind Power: The power for the building will be supplied by horizontal wind turbines installed between the floors, thus avoiding the visual impact, one of the major drawbacks of the familiar “propellor” turbine.  The blades are designed and constructed of materials to allow for quiet operation – a necessary feature, since they are only meters away from the residents.  The architect, Dr. David Fisher, explained wind is a problem for most skyscrapers, and he decided to make use of it instead.

Solar Power: Photovoltaic solar panels will be installed on the roof of each rotating floor, and because they are constantly in motion, 20% of each roof will be open to the sky and to the sun.

These sources are designed to generate more electricity than is used in the building, and to make this the first skyscraper that is self-powered.

Prefabrication: The individual units will be manufactured off-site in a dedicated factory, thus reducing the costs by about 10% and increasing the efficiency of the construction by 30%.  Prefabrication has the added benefit of allowing for a cleaner construction site, with a simpler and shorter process of assembly, less use of resources and energy, and minimal site disturbance.

High Density Building: High rise construction is an efficient use of area with a reduced footprint, as opposed to sprawling, low density development.

Building Materials: The use of natural and recyclable materials, insulated glass and structural insulating panels.

Natural Lighting: The units in the building should have sufficient natural light from the large expanse of glass and the rotation.

Check here and here for videos of the planned buildings in motion.

More links on greening buildings and Dubai:
A Green Survey of Dubai and United Arab Emerites
Dubai’s twirling tower
Rotating Wind Powered Apartment Skyscraper
Dubai plans ‘moving’ skyscraper
US Green Building Council
USEPA guidelines for Green Building

Like reading about green news from the Middle East? Want more of this more often? Subscribe to Green Prophet here.