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First hydrogen fuelled skyscraper - 7th October 2024

Marking a brand new era in innovative and environmentally-friendly design, a daring hydrogen-fuelled skyscraper is to be constructed in Egypt's New Administrative Capital, not far from Cairo.

The 43-storeyed block of steel and glass is a collaboration with Forbes Media and the Saudi-backed development company Magnom, and has an estimated cost of roughly $1 billion. The construction will be 75 percent powered using clean hydrogen and 25 percent from photovoltaic cells on the edifice's façade.

To be located a stone's throw from Africa's highest building, the Iconic Tower, it's been dreamed up by respected designers Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill.

The satellite capital is being marketed for its sustainable credentials, with land purchasers receiving incentives for sustainability. However, Magnom developers aim to take these plans a step further, moving beyond renewable energy sources. They've announced that their tower will be constructed with 'low-embodied carbon' – LEC – materials, having a low climate impact throughout their existence. As long as the sourcing, production and ultimately the disposal or reuse are managed correctly, these materials could slash the carbon footprint of the entire construction by a whopping 58 percent. Meanwhile, on-site water recycling and treatment will lessen the demand for fresh water, vital in a desert region and a country afflicted with water scarcity.

Magnom trusts that the combination of these cutting-edge measures will guarantee they fulfill their net-negative vision. By extracting more carbon than it emits, the tower could realistically become the very first skyscraper on earth to register for a Zero Carbon Certificate from the International Living Future Institute.

The feasibility of such an ambitious project remains up in the air, given that fossil fuels are usually relied on in grand-scale constructions, and critics are doubtful that hydrogen production can be ramped up fast enough to meet demand. In addition, despite its plentiful nature, hydrogen is actually only deemed 'clean' when sourced and fabricated utilizing specific processes.

Magnom states they will assess the "design, space requirement and economic viability " of creating a responsible hydrogen-powered tower. It may not be imminent, but it's more than just pie in the sky, with completion set for 2030.