Gundeep Singh used to own a yacht and a porsche before he turned over a green leaf to open what is now known as the “world’s most sustainable building.” Located at Sheikh Zayed Road in Al Barsha, Dubai, The Change Initiative stocks an array of eco-lifestyle products and recently earned LEED Platinum from the USGBC.
Eclipsing the Bullitt Center in Seattle as the world’s most sustainable building, which was designed by HOK Architects, The Change Initiative earned a whopping 107 out of 110 points available from the USGBC, which oversees LEED sustainability guidelines.
“We are very pleased to announce that The Change Initiative has received the LEED Platinum certification, surpassing all previous records for sustainability; to take pole position as the most sustainable building in the world,” Singh said in a statement.
“This is a proud moment for The Change Initiative, Dubai and the UAE.”
Before opening this store and purchasing a hybrid vehicle, Singh worked as a banking executive until he realized that “none of this makes sense,” he told The National in an interview last year.
Now The Change Initiative is hoping to open 25 stores around the globe that stock everything from environmentally-conscious detergent to grey water recycling tools.
“The Change Initiative Dubai will be an exciting and convenient new flagship store for environmentally-friendly services and products,” said Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who sits on the board.
“Never before has the opportunity to experience and purchase sustainable products been offered in a single location, nor such a breadth of class-leading solutions for homes and businesses alike.”
:: Treehugger
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
I would advise this publication to do a better job at fact checking:
1. The Bullitt Center was designed by Miller Hull Architects and PAE Consulting Engineers (not HOK).
2. The Bullitt Center has been awarded the “World’s Most Sustainable Building” by World Architectural News.
2. The Bullitt Center is pursuing the Living Building Challenge (net zero energy, net zero water, etc..) way beyond LEED Platinum..
See the link below for more
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/03/realestate/commercial/the-bullitt-center-in-seattle-goes-well-beyond-green.html?_r=0
I’m curious to learn more. What are the characteristics of this green building? Does it contain toxic materials? Is it net zero energy? What about water – is it using rainwater for all purposes? More detail beyond broad claims would be helpful.
Dear John- thank you for your interest in the project. The building is an extensive renovation of an existing shell which did not have any toxic materials. With regards to rain water reuse as it is a very low rainfall area and it uses embodied energy and electricity to store and treat infrequent rain fall this was ruled out. Instead the building greatly reduces its overall consumption and has a grey water treatment machine by Aquaver which is both an exhibit and part of the plumbing system. It also has all the usual items such as low flow faucets, waterless urinals, drip irrigation etc.