The green secrets of Bangkok’s first eco-tower

1. To ensure a good night’s sleep, the wiring has been designed to avoid electro-magnetic fields at the head of the bed. Many condominiums trigger insommnia by running wires behind the bed. A particularly strong electro-magnetic field can occur when there are plugs with switches at both sides of the bed.

2. The building’s distinctive ‘wall-free’ design relies on high-tech glass that uses a sandwich of layers and a metallic filter to let through 95% of light while blocking 70% of heat.

3. The air-conditioning units use an invertor system that adjusts the consumption of gas according to need, saving about 30% in cost and energy use.

4. Unlike many developments, the walls are insulated with rock wool rather than glass wool, which gives off particles that can lodge themselves permanently in the lungs if inhaled.

5. Water undergoes UV sterilisation when it arrives in the building. The supply for drinking water taps and ice-makers in each apartment undegoes a further reverse osmosis purification process on the roof.

6. Solvent-free paints have been used to protect residents’ health. ‘When you paint a room, half of the solvent goes into the air and the rest goes onto the wall and is released over one year of 18 months,’ says developer Jean-Luc Colonna d’Istria. ‘Often it is more polluted in a condo than outside, although people feel very safe.’

7. The use of stainless steel and aluminium in the external fixtures cuts maintenance costs by removing the need for regular painting. The building is designed so that its entire maintenance can be performed by a single person.

8. Hot water is supplied centrally using solar panels. When the sun fails to shine, an energy-efficient heat pump kicks in, which takes energy from the surrounding air.

9. The swimming pool’s water is warmed by taking heat from the lobby and by sophisticated heat pump technology. The pool is also purified without using chlorine.

10. Energy-saving features include LED lighting in the corridors triggered by motion detectors.