Council on Vertical Urbanism

The Council on Vertical Urbanism (CVU), formerly known as the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), is an international group that studies tall buildings, including skyscrapers, and sustainable urban design. It is based at the Monroe Building in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The CVU decides which building is called "The World's Tallest Building" and is considered the expert on measuring tall buildings. The group aims to research and share knowledge about all aspects of building tall structures, from planning to construction.

The CVU began at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1969 by Lynn S. Beedle. It remained there until October 2003, when it moved to the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. On October 6, 2025, it changed its name to the Council on Vertical Urbanism. The new name reflects its broader goal of helping cities grow responsibly and densely around the world.

Ranking tall buildings

See also: List of tallest buildings and structures

The CVU ranks tall buildings in three main ways:

1. Height to the top: This is the main way they rank buildings. They measure from the lowest entrance to the very top of the building, including spires but not things like flagpoles or antennas.
2. Highest used floor: They measure up to the floor that people use most often.
3. Height to the tip: They measure to the very highest point, including antennas and flagpoles.

A way to measure to the roof was stopped in November 2009 because it was hard to decide what counted as a roof for modern buildings.

The CVU says a building can be called the tallest only when it is fully built, covered in its outer skin, and open for people to use. They keep a big list of the tallest buildings around the world and also list the tallest buildings finished each year.

Events

The CVU holds yearly conferences and a World Congress every three to five years. In 2012, the World Congress was in Shanghai. The next World Congress was in Chicago in 2019.

Each year, the CVU gives out Tall Building Awards. There are four regional awards for the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and Asia and Australasia. One of these wins the "Best Tall Building Award Overall." There are also two special awards for lifetime achievement. Since 2010, these awards are given at a special event on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology. In 2012, the CVU added two more awards for Innovation and Performance.

Publications

The CVU shares news every day and sends out a monthly newsletter. It used to have a special magazine called the CTBUH Journal. Now, it publishes a magazine called Vertical Urbanism Magazine.

The CVU also writes books and guides about tall buildings. In 2006, it published a book called 101 of the World's Tallest Buildings with author Georges Binder. This book shows photos, plans, and facts about many of the world's tallest skyscrapers. Since 2008, the CVU has published a book each year for its awards for the best tall buildings.

Awards

Main article: CTBUH Skyscraper Award

The CVU gives out awards each year for great tall buildings around the world. Winners have been in cities like Manchester, Dubai, Beijing, and San Francisco. These awards show off amazing designs in tall building architecture.

Research

The CVU works with universities around the world to study tall buildings. They look at many ideas to help make these big structures better and safer.

Building as used on the CVU www.skyscrapercenter.com