Shanghai Tower - Here are the innovative building solutions that form the heart of China's tallest building
Real Estate

Shanghai Tower - Here are the innovative building solutions that form the heart of China's tallest building

Innovative solutions contribute to Shanghai Tower, the first super high-rise building with dual green building certifications in China.

Shanghai Tower, China's tallest and most sustainable super high-rise building, includes several of Johnson Controls ' building technologies, contributing to its high energy-efficiency and its achievement of being the first green building in China certified with both LEED Gold and Three-Star Green Building Design Label.

After eight years of construction and opening in phases in 2016, the tower features 43 sustainable technologies overall, including more than 10 YORK® chillers and heat pumps, a Metasys® building management system (BMS) and a Johnson Controls central performance management system (CPMS) in the building's central heating and cooling plant.

“We were looking for operational synergy between our HVAC and building controls systems, an objective which Johnson Controls has deep experience and expertise in. Also, Johnson Controls was able to customise the solution for us to meet our unique requirements, including a significantly smaller operating footprint. Throughout the process, the company provided excellent and prompt service. We look forward to the high performance of the solutions from Johnson Controls and achieving our energy efficiency targets,” said a representative from Shanghai Tower.

The customised CPMS controls the tower's cooling and heating system, which accounts for 30 per cent of the energy consumed by the building. The system performs real-time complex calculations to optimise energy use based on the current workload and operating conditions, improving the building's energy efficiency in the process.

The 2,073-ft tower also relies on nine YK water-cooled centrifugal chillers, three YK dual-operation water-cooled centrifugal chillers and one YEWS screw geothermal heat pump to provide heating and cooling throughout the nearly 4.1 million-sq-ft skyscraper. The super-high-rise in the real-world conditions creates less-than-ideal circumstances for capacity when they go into operation. The YORK® YK centrifugal chiller units from Johnson Controls have been designed to be highly efficient at full capacity, even more efficient at non-full capacity. For instance, the highly efficient YK dual-operation centrifugal chiller consumes just 0.747 kW per tonne of energy under design conditions and 0.629 kW per tonne under real-world conditions.

The Metasys® BMS monitors and controls the building environment around the clock. In addition to integrating environmental control subsystems including variable air volume, energy management, fire management and security – so they communicate with one another, the BMS enables timely intervention through a real-time display of building data and intelligent analysis to support building management and maintenance.

“We are happy to bring a wealth of experience to the Shanghai Tower project, where we have successfully combined our proven strengths in CPMS, BMS and HVAC building solutions,” said Elvis Chan , Vice President and General Manager, Johnson Controls Building Technologies & Solutions China. “Johnson Controls has a long history of providing energy-saving solutions to many of the world's landmarks, including the Empire State Building, Japan's Abeno Harukas skyscraper and the world's tallest building, Khalifa Tower in Dubai. We are looking forward to our future collaboration with building constructors and managers to create a green, smart, and comfortable working and living environment.”

With community spaces, sky gardens, retail shops, restaurants, hotels and urban amenities stacked vertically, Shanghai Tower creates an innovative and comfortable experience for living and working in the skyscraper. In addition to its eye-catching architectural design, the building's tapered, spiral form minimizes wind loads by as much as 24 per cent to help the building withstand the typhoon-force winds common in Shanghai.

Innovative solutions contribute to Shanghai Tower, the first super high-rise building with dual green building certifications in China. Shanghai Tower, China's tallest and most sustainable super high-rise building, includes several of Johnson Controls ' building technologies, contributing to its high energy-efficiency and its achievement of being the first green building in China certified with both LEED Gold and Three-Star Green Building Design Label. After eight years of construction and opening in phases in 2016, the tower features 43 sustainable technologies overall, including more than 10 YORK® chillers and heat pumps, a Metasys® building management system (BMS) and a Johnson Controls central performance management system (CPMS) in the building's central heating and cooling plant. “We were looking for operational synergy between our HVAC and building controls systems, an objective which Johnson Controls has deep experience and expertise in. Also, Johnson Controls was able to customise the solution for us to meet our unique requirements, including a significantly smaller operating footprint. Throughout the process, the company provided excellent and prompt service. We look forward to the high performance of the solutions from Johnson Controls and achieving our energy efficiency targets,” said a representative from Shanghai Tower. The customised CPMS controls the tower's cooling and heating system, which accounts for 30 per cent of the energy consumed by the building. The system performs real-time complex calculations to optimise energy use based on the current workload and operating conditions, improving the building's energy efficiency in the process. The 2,073-ft tower also relies on nine YK water-cooled centrifugal chillers, three YK dual-operation water-cooled centrifugal chillers and one YEWS screw geothermal heat pump to provide heating and cooling throughout the nearly 4.1 million-sq-ft skyscraper. The super-high-rise in the real-world conditions creates less-than-ideal circumstances for capacity when they go into operation. The YORK® YK centrifugal chiller units from Johnson Controls have been designed to be highly efficient at full capacity, even more efficient at non-full capacity. For instance, the highly efficient YK dual-operation centrifugal chiller consumes just 0.747 kW per tonne of energy under design conditions and 0.629 kW per tonne under real-world conditions. The Metasys® BMS monitors and controls the building environment around the clock. In addition to integrating environmental control subsystems including variable air volume, energy management, fire management and security – so they communicate with one another, the BMS enables timely intervention through a real-time display of building data and intelligent analysis to support building management and maintenance. “We are happy to bring a wealth of experience to the Shanghai Tower project, where we have successfully combined our proven strengths in CPMS, BMS and HVAC building solutions,” said Elvis Chan , Vice President and General Manager, Johnson Controls Building Technologies & Solutions China. “Johnson Controls has a long history of providing energy-saving solutions to many of the world's landmarks, including the Empire State Building, Japan's Abeno Harukas skyscraper and the world's tallest building, Khalifa Tower in Dubai. We are looking forward to our future collaboration with building constructors and managers to create a green, smart, and comfortable working and living environment.” With community spaces, sky gardens, retail shops, restaurants, hotels and urban amenities stacked vertically, Shanghai Tower creates an innovative and comfortable experience for living and working in the skyscraper. In addition to its eye-catching architectural design, the building's tapered, spiral form minimizes wind loads by as much as 24 per cent to help the building withstand the typhoon-force winds common in Shanghai.

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Mount Invests Rs 250 Cr, Adds PUF & PEB Plants, 400+ Jobs

TUMKUR, Karnataka, January 8, 2025 - Mount Roofing & Structures Private Limited, one of India's  fastest-growing manufacturers in PUF and a leading solutions provider across Pre-Engineered Building  (PEB) and Polycarbonate sheets, simultaneously inaugurated its second fully automated continuous  Sandwich Panel manufacturing line and a new PEB manufacturing plant at its integrated campus in  Tumkur." The milestone expansion, part of a total investment of INR 250 crores, marks a significant  advancement in the company's commitment to engineered performance, manu..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Titan Intech Strengthens UltraLED Push With Global LED Veteran

Titan Intech has announced the induction of global LED industry veteran Su Piow Ko to its Board of Directors, marking a strategic step in strengthening its UltraLED Displays roadmap and building globally competitive LED display solutions from India.The appointment aligns with Titan Intech’s ambition to position India as a hub for advanced, high-quality LED display manufacturing. With an increased focus on UltraLED Displays, the company aims to enhance technical governance, raise manufacturing standards and expand its presence across global markets.Su Piow Ko brings over three decades of inte..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Dun & Bradstreet Flags New Growth Engines in India 2026 Outlook

Dun & Bradstreet has released its India 2026: D&B’s Perspective report, projecting a stable macroeconomic environment underpinned by fresh opportunities for productivity-led and inclusive growth. The report outlines how India’s next growth phase will be driven by digitised logistics, trusted data ecosystems, clean energy and rising city vitality.According to the outlook, India’s GDP growth is expected to reach around 6.6 per cent by FY2027, supported by resilient consumer demand and sustained public investment. Manufacturing is seen entering a new phase, moving beyond scale towar..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Open In App