Sustainable Design and Energy Efficiency in Supertall and Megatall Buildings: Challenges of Multi-Criteria Certification Implementation

Rapid urbanization, rising energy consumption, and the environmental pressures of the 21st century have led the construction sector to focus on sustainable design solutions to protect the natural environment and combat climate change. Technological advances are leading to an increasing number of ultratall buildings. However, due to the complex issues involved, these structures currently serve primarily as symbols and serve as testing grounds for technological innovation. Therefore, there is a clear need to analyze the issues involved in designing high-rise buildings sustainably in the context of contemporary environmental challenges. Global multi-criteria certifications exist to establish parameters verifying a building’s impact on its surroundings. This study systematically assessed the sustainable strategies of the world’s twenty tallest buildings using a four-category model: A—passive design, B—active mechanical systems, C—renewable energy integration, and D—materials, water, and circularity strategies. The quantitative assessment (0–60) was supplemented with qualitative analysis and correlational research, including LEED certification. A novel element of the study is a multi-criteria comparative analysis, culminating in an assessment of the degree of implementation of sustainable development strategies in the world’s tallest buildings and linking the results to LEED certification levels. The results identify categories requiring further improvement. The results indicate that Merdeka 118 (46.7%), followed One World Trade Center (43.3%) and Shanghai Tower (41.7%) received the highest scores. Category B dominated all buildings, categories A and D demonstrated moderate implementation, and category C demonstrated the lowest performance due to economic and technical constraints at extreme heights. LEED Platinum-certified buildings demonstrated significantly higher levels of technology integration than Gold or non-certified buildings. The study results emphasize the need for integrating passive design strategies early in the design process, improving renewable energy solutions, and long-term operational monitoring supported by digital tools (such as IoT and digital twins).