Burj Khalifa

Burj Khalifa Tower

The Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai is the tallest building in the world and an architectural marvel. Standing at an impressive 2,722 feet tall, this stunning skyscraper towers over its neighbors, surpassing Dubai’s famous Palm Jumeirah archipelago. There are many interesting facts about Burj Khalifa that you probably didn’t know:

It is the tallest artificial structure in the world.

The Burj Khalifa was a world wonder when it was built in 2010. Standing at a staggering 2,722 feet (829 meters), this magnificent tower is the tallest artificial structure in the world. It is also the tallest freestanding structure in the world. (For comparison, the Great Pyramid of Giza is only 455 feet tall but is not freestanding.)
The Burj Khalifa houses the Dubai Mall — the largest shopping center in the world. With the world’s tallest indoor observation deck and aquarium, it is a must-see for every tourist visiting Dubai. And if you are interested in the engineering facts behind building a mega skyscraper like the Burj Khalifa, keep reading!

Everything in the building is over-sized

A structure this tall requires solid and durable materials. However, since no standard material was strong enough to build a building this tall, everything in the building had to be oversized. The supporting beams that hold the building together are over 4 meters wide, and the concrete and steel used in the foundation weigh approximately 100,000 tons.
The windows are so strong that they can withstand hurricane-force winds up to 161 mph. The curtain wall system used in the building is the largest in the world by area. It comprises 72,500 glazed panels and 68,000 aluminum sunshades covering the entire building.

The tower has been called a tourist trap.

Burj Khalifa has been called a tourist trap. The building is an architectural marvel — but a single visit to the observation deck will cost you a hefty price. Tourists are charged an exorbitant fee to enter the building. And, quite frankly, the view from the top isn’t that special. You can enjoy a better view from the nearby Jumeirah Beach Hotel or the Dubai Parks and Resorts, where you can see Burj Khalifa and the stunning Palm Jumeirah archipelago.
But even though tourists have been known to complain about the excessive cost, the building itself has enjoyed great success. The construction of the Burj Khalifa was completed in 2010, a year ahead of schedule and $1 billion under budget. The government-backed Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM) owns the tower, which also operates it.

It was built by a South African construction company.

There was a lot of controversy surrounding the construction of the Burj Khalifa. Some people said that it was impossible to build a skyscraper this tall. Others worried about the safety of making such a structure in a country with frequent sand storms. The original plan was to build the tower with a Japanese company, but the Japanese construction industry was rocked by scandals at the time, which made investors wary of getting involved with them.
The Dubai government then switched to a South African construction company called the Joint Endeavors (JE) consortium that included the construction company Halsall, the engineering firm Scott, and the architecture firm Botha and Turner.

It’s more than just a pretty face — Burj Khalifa has some critical functionality.

A building this tall is bound to attract attention for its stunning architecture. However, not many people know about the functionality of the building. Burj Khalifa has many environmentally friendly features that stand out from other skyscrapers. It uses a unique cooling system to reduce energy consumption. It also has a double filtration system for its air-conditioning system that recycles indoor air for use again. In addition, the building also has a heat recovery system that recycles waste heat from the air-conditioning units and uses it to provide warmth in winter.
This makes Burj Khalifa the first-ever eco-friendly skyscraper in the world!

Famous artists and artisans design many interiors.

The Burj Khalifa was designed by the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM). At 2,722 feet, Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world. It is also the world’s second-tallest freestanding structure (a building not supported by anything). It consists of 163 floors, with the top floor being 2,158 feet above ground level.
The building has more than 50 kinds of marble, 26 types of granite, and 25 glass varieties. It has over 8,000 tons of steel and over 50,000 tons of concrete. It also has more than 600,000 square meters of concrete, equivalent to 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Burj Khalifa has the highest number of floors for any building worldwide. Currently, it’s 171; there are plans to add six more.

If you love statistics, you will be interested to know that Burj Khalifa currently has the highest number of floors for any building worldwide at 171. But there are plans to add six more floors. The additional floors will be built at the same height as the spire, making the tower taller by about 35 meters. The construction company that built the building will use the new floors, and it is expected that Burj Khalifa will be used as a corporate headquarters.

It is one of the most sustainable mega-scrapers on our planet.

A tall building is bound to cost a lot of money to maintain, but Burj Khalifa is one of the most sustainable mega-scrapers on our planet. The tower is designed to use less energy and produce less carbon dioxide.
The building’s cooling system uses seawater. This makes the building more eco-friendly because seawater is naturally cooler than freshwater and requires less energy to heat and cool.
It also has an advanced air-conditioning system with a double filtration system and UV light with an occupancy sensor that optimizes energy usage for each floor.
In addition, it also has a heat recovery system that recycles waste heat from air conditioning units and uses it to provide warmth in winter. This makes Burj Khalifa the first-ever eco-friendly skyscraper in the world!
That’s not all. Burj Khalifa also has an advanced air-filtration system with a UV light that eliminates harmful bacteria from the airflow. It also has an occupancy sensor that optimizes energy usage for each floor. So, if a particular floor is not in use, the ventilation system will automatically shut off for that floor.
In conclusion, the Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world and an architectural marvel. A South African construction company built it with many environmentally friendly features. It is one of the most sustainable mega-scrapers on our planet.