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Post Occupancy Analysis

Visitors and tenant satisfaction & Our recommendations

External Lighting: Excessive or not?

Reason for the external Lighting:

Taipei 101 acts as the symbol of Taiwan; Lighting helps decorate at night, advertise, and promote Chinese culture, and it could attract visitors.

 

Feedback for citizens:

  • Most of the Taiwanese were amazed by the light show provided by Taipei 101, especially during the special festival.

  • After the replacement of traditional lighting systems with LED, part of some people who have the problem of astigmatism and who are sensitive to light may feel dazzled. Hence, they argue that Taipei 101 have a problem with over lighting.

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Concerns: Light pollution & waste of energy​​

Comments & recommendations: As the former tallest building in the world, Taipei 101 must balance the expectations of its status as a symbol of Taiwan with sustainability goals.​

  • Light pollution:

    • Taipei 101 is located in the heart of the capital’s central business district, and the height of the building means that the lights would be of minimal disturbance to any nocturnal wildlife.

    • The light intensity of the external building gradually decreases from the top of Taipei 101, so it is expected to have a negligible impact on pedestrians.

    • However, minorities who are sensitive to light are still being negatively influenced.

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Reference: Lai (2018)

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Reference: Yahoo (2023)

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  • Waste of energy:

    • Some internal policies have already been designed to reduce the carbon footprint, such as introducing 119 million kWh of green power annually to meet the electricity demand for the lighting of the Taipei 101 external walls, which is expected to reduce around 66139 tons of carbon footprint per year.

    • Also, it introduced an “all lights off” policy, which allowed turning off all exterior lights before and after the fireworks show in order to reduce GHG emissions.

    • Even when these policies are applied, the long duration of lighting time (from 17:00 to 22:00 every night) still causes a large amount of energy consumption. The team could consider adjusting the lighting time according to the sunset time in different months to save energy.

    • Due to the status and image of Taipei 101, as well as considering the impact of Asian expectations and culture, it is challenging for the team to turn off most of the external building’s lights.

    • To avoid the discomfort caused by glare caused by artificial light sources, management should be carried out in different time periods. The recommended value for maximum brightness light exposure in commercial areas, from 6 pm to 11 pm, is 1000 cd per square meter.

Thermal performance evaluation

Feedback from citizens: Overall, there is a high satisfaction rate, and there have been no complaint cases in recent years.

 

Comments: 

Taipei 101 applied diverse technologies to enhance thermal comfort while reducing energy consumption. However, there are some additional designs they could consider.

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Recommended Measures:

  • Indoor Green Walls: Install green walls in public areas and workspaces. Choose low-maintenance plants like pothos and spider plants to beautify spaces and act as natural air filters.

  • Rooftop Greening: Implement green roofs to absorb solar radiation and provide insulation, using local, drought-resistant plants to reduce maintenance and water usage.

  • Indoor Potted Plants: Place potted plants like aloe vera and English ivy around office and lounge areas for temperature regulation and air purification.

  • Vertical Gardens: Establish vertical gardens on exterior walls for cooling and aesthetic enhancement. This adds shading and reduces heat absorption.

  • Efficient Irrigation: Use collected rainwater and recycling systems for irrigation and ensure regular maintenance for plant health.

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Firework performance: Noise versus Traditional Culture

Reason of firework performance: Celebrate New Year's Eve


Concern: Noise pollution and negative influence on surrounding residents

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Feedback for citizens:
•    Since the event is held from evening to early morning, it will inevitably affect nearby residents.
•    From the year 2021 to 2023, a total of 69 complaints were recorded due to the rehearsals and performances in the New Year's Eve activities.

Comments:
•    Existing measures have been adopted by the Department of Environmental Protection, including volume control and full noise monitoring during activities to minimize the impact on the surrounding environment.
•    However, the sound level is still high for some noise-sensitive individuals and induces pungent smells. 
•    Green fireworks, which produce a lower sound level, could be used. They may also be free of sulfur, smoke-free and free of paper scraps. This strategy could balance the environmental concerns while preserving the traditional culture.

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