Existing as a blend of innovation and environmental responsibility, sustainable buildings are redefining how we design, construct and inhabit the spaces around us.
From energy-positive skyscrapers to nature-integrated developments, today’s leading projects demonstrate how architecture can actively reduce emissions, conserve resources and enhance wellbeing.
As cities face mounting climate pressures, the built environment has a critical role to play in accelerating the transition to net zero.
Sustainability Magazine has ranked the 10 most sustainable buildings.
10. London City Hall
Location: London, England
Owned by: Greater London Authority
Floor count: 10
Construction completed: 2012
Originally known as The Crystal, London’s current city hall was first built and opened by Siemens to house a long-term exhibition dedicated to sustainable architecture.
It earned the distinction of being the first structure globally to reach both a LEED Platinum certification and a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating.
The site utilises ground-source heat pumps, solar thermal and photovoltaic panels, a 60,000-litre rainwater tank, and carpets crafted from recycled fishing nets.
9. Bosco Verticale
Location: Milan, Italy
Developed by: COIMA Sgr
Floor count: 26 and 18
Construction completed: 2014
Bosco Verticale is a pair of residential towers in Milan’s Porta Nuova district, famous for wrapping the skyline in trees and plants.
Completed in 2014, it has become one of the world’s best-known examples of biophilic urban design, showing how high-density housing can also support biodiversity and a cooler microclimate.
The greenery, combined with its striking silhouette, makes it a striking sustainable building.
8. Taipei 101
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Owned by: Taipei Financial Centre Corporation
Floor count: 101
Construction completed: 2003
Taipei 101 was the world’s first skyscraper to exceed half a kilometre in height, and is one of the world’s tallest buildings.
It has received Platinum LEED certification in recognition of its energy efficiency and environmentally sustainable design. The building uses recycled water to meet 20–30% of its total water needs, helping reduce the diversion of freshwater from sensitive ecosystems.
Additionally, Taipei 101 is equipped with double-glazed windows that block 50% of external heat.
7. Pixel Building
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Owned by: Design-Com
Floor count: 4
Construction completed: 2010
Pixel Building, in Melbourne, is a landmark in sustainable office design and Australia’s first carbon-neutral office building.
Its standout features include on-site renewable energy, rainwater harvesting, a living roof, and low-carbon materials such as Pixelcrete, helping it set a high benchmark for green architecture.
6. One Central Park
Location: Sydney, Australia
Owned by: Frasers Property
Floor count: 34 and 12
Construction completed: 2013
Sydney’s One Central Park, a collaboration between Sekisui House and Frasers Property, stands as a premier mixed-use residential and commercial twin-tower development.
Earning a prestigious 5 Green Star rating, the structure features the globe’s tallest vertical gardens, soaring past 50 metres and hosting more than 35,000 plants across 23 distinct walls.
An integrated cantilever heliostat redirects natural light, while a massive recycled-water network – the largest in existence – provides for 4,000 locals and 15,000 commuters every day.
5. Powerhouse Brattørkaia
Location: Trondheim, Norway
Owned by: Entra ASA
Floor count: 8
Construction completed: 2019
Powerhouse Brattørkaia is a standout example of energy-positive design in Trondheim, Norway.
Completed in 2019, the Snøhetta-led office building generates more renewable energy over its lifetime than it uses, thanks to a sharply angled roof covered in solar panels and a highly efficient building envelope.
It also pairs sustainability with civic value, offering public-facing space while setting a high bar for low-carbon architecture.
4. Shanghai Tower
Location: Shanghai, China
Owned by: Yeti Construction and Development
Floor count: 133
Construction completed: 2014
Standing as one of the world’s few "megatall" structures, the Shanghai Tower reaches a height of 632 metres and provides office space for major corporations such as JPMorgan, Alibaba and Allianz.
The building, a Gensler-designed project, features a tiered layout that optimises energy performance and segments the interior into nine distinct zones dedicated to retail and office use.
To mitigate wind loads, the tower utilises a double-layered façade, a design choice that allows for a 25% reduction in structural steel compared with a conventional skyscraper of equivalent height.
3. Bullitt Centre
Location: Seattle, US
Owned by: Bullitt Foundation
Floor count: 6
Construction completed: 2012
Unveiled on Earth Day 2013, the Bullitt Center was engineered with the ambitious goal of becoming the most sustainable commercial structure on the planet.
Throughout its inaugural decade, the facility’s rooftop solar array produced 30% more power than the building consumed, cementing its status as one of the premier net-positive-energy developments globally.
To maintain climate control, the site utilises 26 geothermal wells reaching 120 metres deep, while intentionally omitting car parking in favour of extensive bicycle storage.
2. Olympic House
Location: Lausanne, Switzerland
Owned by: International Olympic Committee
Floor count: 5
Construction completed: 2019
Designed by the Danish architectural studio 3XN, Olympic House officially opened its doors as the International Olympic Committee's headquarters in Switzerland in 2019.
This structure integrates rigorous benchmarks for water and energy conservation while prioritising the physical health and overall well-being of its occupants.
“When we set out on this project to construct a new home, we wanted it to be more than just another office building,” says Thomas Bach, IOC President.
“We wanted Olympic House to incorporate the elements of sustainability, credibility and youth – the same three pillars of Olympic Agenda 2020. Olympic House takes sustainability to the next level. The building has been constructed according to the highest sustainability standards in every way.”
1. The Edge
Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Owned by: Edge
Floor count: 14
Construction completed: 2014
Providing a home for major corporations such as Henkel, Salesforce, and Deloitte, The Edge functions as a high-tech corporate hub.
In 2014, the structure made history by securing the highest BREEAM rating ever awarded to an office development.
The building's infrastructure utilises roughly 28,000 sensors embedded in the ceilings to track "real-time CO₂, humidity, movement, temperature and lighting”.
Climate control is maintained through an aquifer thermal energy storage system, which "regulates temperature using hot and cold water stored in wells."