Form, meet function. The 42-story Strata Building—also known by its much cooler nickname, “The Razor“—will get 8% of its energy from three wind turbines built into its façade. Hope no one builds a 43-story building next door.
Fortunately, the Strata looms over its current neighbors with enough clearance to take full advantage of the 35mph winds that will churn its turbines.
They’re expected to generate up to 50MWh of electricity annually. That’s not enough to power a whole building, but it’s a significant savings in the long run. Other precautions have been taken to mitigate potential built-in turbine trouble, including outfitting each turbine with five blades instead of three (to reduce noise) and five-ton vibration dampers to prevent wobbling. The Strata should be completed by this April.[Inhabitat]
