Sustainability in Multi-storey Buildings: Architecture, Energy, Ecology

High-rise buildings play a pivotal role in urbanization but pose significant environmental and energy challenges. This chapter develops a classification and evaluation framework for multi-storey buildings, assessing their sustainability in terms of bioclimatic design, passive and active energy systems, and ecological integration. A cross-climatic assessment of twenty multi-storey buildings reveals distinct architectural adaptations: cold-climate buildings prioritize geothermal heating, high-performance insulation, and optimized heat retention, whereas warm-climate structures rely on advanced shading techniques, natural ventilation, and evaporative cooling. Findings confirm the widespread adoption of photovoltaic systems and passive design strategies, yet highlight the underutilization of recyclable materials, water reuse systems, and green infrastructure. The developed taxonomy defines an evidence-based approach for evaluating sustainability in high-rise architecture, bridging theoretical constructs with empirical validation. By formalizing a context-sensitive assessment framework, this research advances precision in sustainable urban planning, reinforcing high-rise buildings as 128 critical instruments in climate adaptation and energy optimization of contemporary urban environments.