The Burj Khalifa, is quite literally one of the biggest places to see in Dubai and redefines what engineering can create. It is a global icon and landmark, attracting thousands of tourists on Dubai tour packages every year. It is one of the biggest draws in the desert city too and symbolizes the cosmopolitan city’s love for everything grand and majestic. 
Burj Khalifa’s structure exemplifies Islamic architecture and also speaks to the global movement towards compact, livable urban areas. It is a testament to cutting-edge technologies and changing cultural influences. The Tower and its surrounding neighborhood are more centralized than any other new development in Dubai. At the center of a new downtown neighborhood, Burj Khalifa provides direct connections to mass transit systems of public transport.
It is equipped with the most advanced fire and life safety systems, including “lifeboat” operation for elevators which allows for them to be used for controlled evacuation under certain situations, decreasing total evacuation time by 45% over stairs alone. Safety as a concern is given the due importance. The building’s Y-shaped plan is also a testament to sustainable architecture as it provides the maximum amount of perimeter for windows in living spaces without developing internal unusable area.
The structural system, referred to as a “buttressed core,” is designed to efficiently support a gigantic building that utilizes a strong central core, buttressed by its three wings. This is a structure where all of the building’s vertical structure is used to support both gravity and lateral loads.
The unprecedented height of the Burj Khalifa makes it a true architectural marvel. Design techniques, building systems, and construction practices all had to be re-evaluated as it challenges the bounds of what can be humanly constructed. The height also allows the building to have superior ventilation, cooler air temperatures, reduced air density, and reduced relative humidity at the top of the building allow for “sky-sourced” fresh air. It requires less energy for air conditioning, ventilation, and dehumidification.
Burj Khalifa also has one of the largest condensate recovery systems in the world that can collect water from air conditioning condensate discharge preventing it from entering the wastewater stream and reducing the need for municipal potable water. It is environment protection measures like these that makes this 2,000,000 sq. ft. space one of the most incredible man made constructions on the planet earth.
