STAR Island buildings don’t look like the traditional green buildings we know. Our design is unique, where form follows function, enhancing the environment of the island and delighting the eyes at the same time. By incorporating several styles of architecture, this hybrid of island and neo-traditional styles is a perfect blend of the modern architecture familiar to what people already use and love with a focus on green design that is imbued in everything we create.
The design was carefully developed to contribute to reduce energy consumption and make use of passive systems as much as possible. Without proper design, buildings are not as efficient, wasting energy to cool rooms with fans and air conditioning systems. We took many things into account, such as the direction of the wind, the environmentally friendly white paint we use to naturally cool the structure as well as the position of the buildings, which had a tremendous influence in the design.
By eliminating windows on the south-facing sides of buildings, for example, we could avoid heat and glare that make an environment hot and uncomfortable. At the same time, solar panels were installed facing south to take advantage of full sun exposure. Openings in the buildings go from east to west to allow for cross breeze.
The roofs were also designed to capture the rainwater through a systems of gutters that feed into downspouts and then stored into catchment systems with capacities exceeding for 7,000 gallons of water. This loop system moves around the island, constantly recharging and replenishing the pond, thus keeping freshwater waste to a minimum.
These small changes ensure that we save energy and utilize natural resources to their fullest.