Climate change is one of the biggest challenges to our planet (and our future), with world leaders and scientific thinkers constantly grappling with new ways to save the world. Energy-efficient travel is a top priority for those curious to see the world without harming it, but what about the landmarks we see when we get there? How could those be transformed into energy-efficient buildings?

Sustainable architecture goes beyond basic insulation and solar panels – in fact, energy-efficient buildings can be some of the most gorgeous constructions in the urban jungle. Without further ado, explore the finest green constructions our Earth has to offer.

Further reading: How We’re Setting the Gold Standard For Sustainable Luxury Travel

Elbphilharmonie

Hamburg, Germany

Recycling old buildings is common in Hamburg, with industrial buildings turned into public spaces in the Speicherstadt (warehouse district). One of the most energy-efficient buildings in the Speicherstadt is the Elbphilharmonie, a wave-shaped, 26-storey glass tower that houses orchestral concerts, lectures and even a hotel.

Sustainable thinking was ingrained into every part of its design, from reducing the CO2-producing concrete typically used for foundations to managing over-tourism by monitoring numbers of people in the plaza outside. Wind turbines outside Hamburg provide the venue with 100% of its energy – a truly sustainable way to light up the city’s classical music scene.

Read next: Geneva’s Hotel d’Angleterre is Committed to Positive Change

CopenHill

Copenhagen, Demark

Not only does CopenHill (now called Amager Bakke) transform waste into energy via a sulfur-reduced form of incineration, it also makes innovative use of the land it stands on: the slanted roof is turned into a ski slope in the winter – complete with an epic ápres bar – and an artificial hill hiking path in the summer.

This ingenious building is also home to the world’s tallest climbing wall, with 85 vertical meters of nooks, crannies and outcrops for keen climbers to explore. Home to one of the world’s most eco-friendly attractions, Copenhagen leads the world in green tourism.

Sustainable Scandinavia: Alternative Dining & CO2-Absorbing Aprons: Welcome to Fotografiska

Pixel Building

Melbourne, Australia

 

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Australia’s first carbon-neutral office building not only does good; it looks good, too. The colorful four-story office was built in 2010 and is one of the most energy-efficient buildings in Australia, fitting into Melbourne’s surroundings: one of the world’s most eco-friendly tourist destinations. 

The building generates its own electricity by utilising wind turbines and solar panels, and is cleverly water-balanced – the Pixel Building is able to supply its water requirements (besides drinking water) by recapturing the rainwater evaporating from its exterior. Even the pretty pixels themselves are constructed from low-carbon concrete and recycled aggregate!

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Museu do Amanhã (Museum of Tomorrow)

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In preparation for the 2016 Olympics, Rio opened a forward-thinking, eco-friendly tourist destination: the Museum of Tomorrow, set in the Brazilian city’s old port. Beneath the uber-modern eaves of the Santiago Calatrava-designed building, the museum contains exhibits that discuss different aspects of life, from educational movies on evolution in an egg-shaped cinema to digital displays that show the dangers of overpopulation. 

The building itself is future-conscious, too – solar panels move with the sun to maximise energy capture, while the cooling system utilises the cold water from the depths of the bay next door. 

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ACROS

Fukuoka, Japan

 

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As energy-efficient buildings go, ACROS is pretty spectacular. From the front, the stepped facade looks like a Mayan pyramid overrun by the rainforest, flanked by the blue waters of the Naka River. 

However, this is actually a 14-story local government office built in the late 1990s, designed to alleviate the ‘heat island’ effect that Fukouka struggles with in the summer. The plant-covered, terraced roofs of ACROS naturally reduce pollutants, collect rainwater, absorb CO2 and means wild plants and birds can live in harmony with the hi-tech Japanese city.

Bullitt Centre

Seattle, USA

 

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Billed as the “greenest commercial building in the world”, Seattle’s Bullitt Center (opened on Earth Day 2013) is truly one of the world’s most energy-efficient buildings. A stone’s throw from Pike Place Market and the Seattle Aquarium – already some seriously eco-friendly attractions – the Bullitt Center pioneers sustainable architecture by refusing to use materials containing highly dangerous chemicals in its construction, selling surplus green energy produced on its 575 solar panels back to the national grid and has successfully reduced its energy waste and carbon emissions by 86% compared to other office buildings. Meanwhile, its wood-paneled interior, shady roof and green surroundings give the Bullitt Center an air of the serene: proving that sustainable can certainly mean beautiful.

An African safari is a bucket-list experience for many travelers. Whether you’re trekking with gorillas in the mountains or driving across the savannah in search of lions, elephants, and more, the excitement is almost indescribable. 

There are countless ways to experience Africa’s wonderful wildlife viewing opportunities, but staying at an eco sustainability safari lodge can help you stay more eco conscious, and limit your carbon impact while supporting conservation efforts.

Experience it With Luxury Gold: We invite you to seek out the Big Five in Kruger National Park on Luxury Gold’s Spectacular South Africa Journey. You’ll spend two nights in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve near a waterhole where animals roam day and night. Go on game drives and bush walks where you may spot the Big Five, hippos, crocodiles, and cheetahs.

Top Safari Lodges For Eco Sustainability 

Discover the wonder of Africa’s wildlife while staying at these eco conscious safari lodges that prioritize sustainable practices. As with any stay around the world, do your diligence to determine how truly an eco sustainability property truly is. Taking the extra steps to research the property’s sustainability credentials, its conservation projects, and eco conscious actions such as supporting local communities can help ensure that your travels are limiting your carbon footprint while helping to regenerate our world.

Private Game Drives and Five-Star Stays: How Luxury Gold Does Safari Differently

Cheetah Plains | South Africa

 

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Within the Sabi Sands Nature Reserve, Cheetah Plains is the first eco friendly business to offer a zero-emission game drive in the reserve. Their safari lodge runs entirely on solar power and a carbon negative property, which means you can offset part of the carbon footprint your travels create just by staying at Cheetah Plains. 1200 solar PV panels offset over 500 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year by generating an average of 550WMh per year.

Campi Ya Kanzi | Kenya

 

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Accountability is critical in maintaining a true eco friendly business, which is why every night spent at Campi Ya Kanzi directly benefits the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust. The trust benefits local Maasai communities through actions like reimbursing tribes when they lose livestock due to predator attacks; this encourages the tribe not to retaliate by hunting the predator, thus keeping the human and animal populations sustained. From an eco sustainability perspective, the lodges at Campi Ya Kanzi are 100% photovoltaic. Harnessing solar power to cut carbon emissions to zero, which leads to carbon neutrality via offsetting with the Chyulu REDD+ Carbon Project.

Usangu Expedition Camp | Tanzania

 

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Similar to the way the Cheetah Plains uses solar power to lead its safaris, the Usangu Expedition Camp in Tanzania is the safari lodge in Ruaha National Park to prioritise eco sustainability by creating safari vehicles that run on ethanol instead of diesel fuel. The ethanol is taken from the molasses production in the south of the country, giving the vehicle a candy-like scent as they drive. This eco conscious camp is near the Douglas Bell Eco Research Station and encourages travelers to help in the wildlife conservation efforts by placing camera traps, tracking lions, and identifying predators in the area. 

How to Safari in Style: The Ultimate Packing Guide

Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp | Namibia

 

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Eco sustainability in all of Africa is important, including places like the Namib Desert where an astounding number of biodiverse species thrive. The Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp is a luxurious desert oasis and leverages its sun exposure to operate 100% on solar power. Guided walking safaris are an available alternative to game drives to further reduce your impact in one of the world’s oldest deserts. An on-site research center allows you to assist conversation efforts by helping staff track the endangered desert-adapted black rhinoceros. 

Rugged luxury: Why a Trip to New Zealand Might Surprise You

Mount Gahinga Lodge | Uganda

 

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Eco sustainability discussions tend to focus around our natural world, and while the protection of the mountain gorillas is a priority, Mount Gahinga Lodge is also working to sustain the native Batwa tribe that was displaced when the Virunga Mountains were annexed for conservation. The Lodge’s founder built a permanent Batwa settlement where 150 people live off of the land in their own, safe community. You can visit this settlement and support the Batwa people when you stay at Mount Gahinga Lodge, with opportunities to also track gorillas and golden monkeys. 

Read next: Walking With the King of the Big Cats in India’s Royal Hunting Grounds

Don’t limit your safari to one continent. Venture into Ranthambore National Park in search of Bengal tigers on the Luxury Gold Essence of India journey. 

Not only does this 8-day adventure check-off bucket-list visits to the Taj Mahal and the Pink City of Jaipur, it also offers the chance to see tigers in the wild. Your safari through the former private hunting grounds of the maharajas of Jaipur takes you across lakes and palace ruins where the elusive tigers roam. 

Increasingly, we want to know that the places we stay are not just doing no harm, they’re actively doing good: for their natural environment, for wildlife conservation, for staff and local communities. One of the leaders in this field is New Zealand’s magical Te Waonui Forest Retreat, which guests visit on Luxury Gold’s 19-day The Long White Cloud journey.

Designed with sustainability in mind from top to bottom, it’s visitors’ first stay after their entry point of Christchurch; tucked away on the west coast of the country’s South Island, it’s an exclusive and atmospheric base for visiting the Franz Josef Glacier.

To find out more about how this five-star hotel manages to seamlessly combine luxury with sustainability, we spoke with Richard Hayman, one of the architects that originally worked on the forest retreat. 

Green at Heart

Shrouded in dense, unspoiled green forest with snow-capped peaks visible just above, you’ll enjoy a private balcony and terrace here – perfectly for listening to the call of native songbirds. New Zealand, it goes without saying, is a world leader in sustainable tourism; but even on a scene this dense with innovative retreats, this hotel stands out.

“I remember day one when we first found the site, walking through the native bush and seeing these fantastic trees which have never been felled,” says Richard. “I thought, wow, building in this space is a real privilege. So we tried to keep as much of that bush atmosphere as we could.”

Sustainable and stylish

Te Waonui Forest Retreat was designed as “passively” as possible, he explains; that is, every attempt was made to make it low-emission and energy efficient for its entire lifetime. This involves using low-carbon, easily available timber, overhanging and slats keeping heat from the sun out of the building without the need for air-conditioning. “We tried to have very high insulation levels, no energy heat pumps, lots of overshadowing in terms of the building design keeping the sun out,” says Richard. “We were very careful about sourcing non-rainforest hardwoods and timber.”

Inside the building, LED lighting and use of natural light keep things energy-efficient, cleaning is chemical-free and recycling policies are stringent throughout the property. Furniture and fittings make use of local materials, such as New Zealand natural wool carpets, organic cotton and even possum-skin cushioning. Sensor lights automatically shut off when no one’s in the room, while water is saved via flow restrictors in showers. All staff are highly trained in sustainable methods of catering, cleaning and service.

A Truly Luxurious Forest Retreat

That’s not to say you’ll feel like you’re doing a PhD in sustainability; this is a luxe holiday hideaway at heart. As well as those birdsong-filled balconies, there’s a fine dining restaurant open to views of the virgin forest and peaks outside; rooms have luxury bedding and designer furnishings. And there’s plenty of local character: “Look out for Kiwi touches in terms of art and materials,” says Hayman. “The drapes are inspired by our native alpine parrot bird, the Kea ‒ the underside of its wing has bright oranges and reds against a khaki feather. The bar is inspired by coal and by glow worms.”

One of his favourite features are the ethically-sourced bamboo keycards, which can also be used as luggage tags. Clean and green power is also hugely important. “In New Zealand we are lucky enough to have some very clean and green electricity; ours is hydro-, wind- and solar-generated power from our provider Meridian. Where we do have to use natural gas, we’re looking at ways to reduce that or increase efficiency,” says Hayman. And projects are constantly reviewed, and ongoing. One recent movement saw 375 punga ferns planted around the property to restore parts of the native forest.

Incredible Nature on Your Doorstep

This area of New Zealand is special, say the team. It’s wild, it’s irrepressible, and guests are given the privilege of interacting with it all, close up. “Te Waonui Forest Retreat is a great place to remind you of how elemental nature is,” says Hayman. “Our guests can get involved in that to a greater or lesser extent depending on how adventurous they are. Bush walks, kayaking on the lagoon, spotting white herons, climbing, even helicopter flights up to the glacier. it’s a chance to get up close to the most rugged environment in New Zealand.”

Three more Luxury Gold accommodation choices that champion sustainability:

Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo, Peru

Acknowledged by the United Nations as the World’s First ‘Climate Positive’ Hotel Brand, Inkaterra immerses guests in a planet-friendly lifestyle. From solar panels for power to local education initiatives, as well as fittings from local craftspeople, textiles from local Alpaca wool and recycled-fabric slippers, this lodge close to bucket-list site Machu Picchu has an entirely carbon-neutral ethos.

Visit on: Grand South America.

Pilgrimage Village, Hue, Vietnam

 

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This unique stay started as a craftsman’s village, where owner Le Van Truong could help connect expert local makers with visitors to Vietnam and boost the local economy. Now it has traditionally styled houses and pool villas for guests to stay over; and the team has made sustainability top priority, from sensors to shut off any unused lights or electronics to chemical-free cleaning protecting the biodiversity, water waste-reduction techniques in place and 95% of staff employed from the local area.

Stay there on: Inspiring Indochina.

Sails in the Desert, Ayers Rock, Australia

 

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This desert oasis in Uluru has an entire solar field that produces 45% of its energy, not to mention a waste minimisation programme to avoid sending waste to landfill, and an ongoing mission to raise awareness of wildlife conservation among its guests. A certified Advanced Ecotourism property, Sails in the Desert partners with the indigenous Anangu community on storytelling experiences and champions Aboriginal art in its onsite gallery, as well as training the next generation to increase the indigenous presence in the tourism industry.

Spend the night on: Inspiring Australia.