Among the casualties of climate change–us, perhaps?–may well be the glass skyscraper, so sleek and inviting and environmentally irresponsible. From BBC Magazine:

“Glass buildings are popular – not just because of their striking appearance but for the views they boast, and the increased light they let in.

When German architect Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe designed what is said to be the world’s first glass skyscraper in 1921, he associated the glass facade with purity and renewal. Later in the century, British architect Richard Rogers praised glass buildings because of their social worth. Glass walls enabled even employees working in the basement to benefit from reflected natural light and dissolved barriers between a cramped indoor office space and the greenery outside.

Companies like to give the impression of a democratic working environment – open-plan and with floor-to-ceiling windows, so that all employees, not just the boss, benefit from the view.

However, as concerns over global warming have become more widespread, so the glass structure has come under scrutiny. …

Glass lets out and lets in a lot of heat. A vast amount of energy is required for an office full of people to remain cool in the UAE and to stay warm in the snowstorms of Toronto.

Governments are now so concerned by the long-term impact of ‘solar gain’ – the extent to which a building absorbs sunlight and heats up – that they have introduced strict regulations around shape and structure.”