Tall buildings are not the only solution for achieving sustainability through increased density in cities but, given the scale of current population shifts, the vertical city is increasingly being seen as the most viable solution for many urban centers. However, the full implications of concentrating more people on smaller plots of land by building vertically - whether for work, residential or leisure functions - needs to be better researched and understood.

It is generally accepted that we need to reduce the energy equation - in both operating and embodied terms - of every...