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- ichirorabbit, on 11/10/2007, -5/+48Worst site design ever! I had to look sideways to read those buttons....
Cool looking building! - MikeSD34, on 10/12/2007, -1/+17I have to agree, I don't find that site very usable at all.
- igorsway, on 10/12/2007, -0/+14That's one way to get rid of pigeons....
- Xyleene, on 10/12/2007, -2/+16Looks a little inefficient.. They don't seem to be able to turn to face the wind?
- nick0909, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12From the article, posted below:
"Through the positioning and aerodynamic design of the towers, the
prevailing on-shore Gulf breeze is funnelled [sic] into the path of the
turbines, helping to create even greater power generation efficiency." - RBasil, on 10/12/2007, -4/+14Manama, Bahrain- The world's first integrated wind turbine
power source has been installed at the Bahrain World Trade Center
(BWTC), officials said on Monday.
Two more buildings, in London and in Hong Kong, are also
considering a similar move according to the director and managing
partner of Dutch Norwin A/S that supplied the wind turbines.
Chief designer of the BWTC, Shaun Killa, said that from the outset
he had a clear vision of integrating renewable energy into the design
of the trade center.
The three massive wind turbines, their blades measuring 29 meters
in diameter, are supported by bridges spanning between the BWTC's two
240-meter high towers.
Killa said that once operational, the wind turbines will deliver
approximately 11-15 per cent of the BWTC towers' energy needs.
He also said that incorporating the wind turbines as an
alternative source of energy for the buildings will generate 1,100 to
1,300 megawatt-hours per year, or the equivalent lighting needs of
300 homes.
"Most of the generated power will go to meet the electrical needs
of the building services which is to the landlord benefit but we will
look into meeting other energy needs if there is access power
available following the testing period," he said.
Through the positioning and aerodynamic design of the towers, the
prevailing on-shore Gulf breeze is funnelled into the path of the
turbines, helping to create even greater power generation efficiency.
The installation marks the first time that a commercial
development has integrated large-scale wind turbines within its
design to harness the windpower as an alternative energy supply.
The turbines will become fully operational following completion of
the BWTC.
The BWTC construction, which is a joint venture between South
African contractor Murray & Roberts and Bahraini contractor Nass,
continues to progress with all major structural works, such as
concreting, foundation and steel works being completed.
Work on the BWTC which began in June of 2004 is expected to be
completed later this year or early 2008. - ButterBuddha, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9need these in Chicago....
- quomen, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8Very elegantly done..
I wish we'd see such beautiful marvels here in america.
Haha but yea ichiro, you'd think that people making such buildings would design a better site. - quomen, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7It's considering for each of the workers, not the total time spent making the building.
- wonderchemist, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Could be local weather patterns result in a very consistent wind pattern.
- hiPpymIck, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4the Windy City..?
- BlinderBomber, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4According to the article there is a prevailing wind from the ocean that usually comes in that direction. Plus, the towers should help direct the breeze over the turbines.
- alecperkins, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4No, though it does have some similarities. The building in entrapment was the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Petronas_Towers.html - Aksumka, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Yea, I see that picture of the turbines and say, "That's such a good idea!" Then I see the sideways text, "Oh what a bad idea!"
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5We have them in Chicago.
http://www.lakefront.org/nearnorth.html
http://aerotecture.com/projects_mlh.html - whiskeysquared, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3You'd think that if they have enough cash to mount wind turbines and develop such a feat of building architecture, they would pay a real designer to make an actual website instead of a 90's era flash page. Completely irresponsible web presence.
- OmegaMike, on 10/12/2007, -4/+7It would be great to have a brawl out on top of the skyway!
- stupidbrowner, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3From RBasil's comment:
"He also said that incorporating the wind turbines as an
alternative source of energy for the buildings will generate 1,100 to
1,300 megawatt-hours per year, or the equivalent lighting needs of
300 homes." - theblogverse, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2It's called the World Trade Centre... and it has 2 towers... and it's just been built... AND its got propellers on it!!!
Now I KNOW its a conspiracy. - ersatzphi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I believe this may be an improper use of the term "efficient". I think you guys are referring to effectiveness. Efficiency would be the percentage of the wind turning the turbine that gets converted to electricity. The effectiveness of the turbines is where they are placed. Sorry but it was just bothering me.
-mechanical engineer - PimNL, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2On the old Google Maps Satellite imagery you can see in the shadow that the wind turbine blades are still missing:
http://www.geo-lookup.com/en/buildings/bahrain-world-trade-center/luchtfoto - LowFuel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Well, you have renderings of them in Chicago.
- Gizza, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Who the ***** thought that needing to tilt your head sideways to read buttons was a good idea. That web designer should be shot, and then hung, and then dragged naked by a horse down a gravel road, then dipped in a bucket of vinegar, then decapitated just to make sure.
- licoricewhip, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3... Finish him!
- theseventhyear, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Not really inefficient. the blades are limited to spin only a certain speed, and wind from various angles, not just head on would have enough strength to move them. of course they are faced towards the prevailing winds, so these guys should be able to be opperational quite a bit of the time.
- GDLaws, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1that and the Orange Arrows don't open the slide out panel, you have to click the text, but then the Orange arrows are the only thing to click to close it. Consistency in design people!
- shinynew, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It will be good for the post apocalyptic world, a building that generates its own energy.
I'm heading there if they add some way to grow plants and collect rain water, after the zombies take over. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1what if a bird flies into the blades and is catapulted into a window :)
- dbtorreliob, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Why doesn't anyone bring up the fact that the UAE has so much oil and they go and spend money on renewable energy sources in their architecture?
- drgruney, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Edit: I read the comment further down.
- ABadInAlbany, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Daaaaaamn sexy.
- Farticus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I live across the road.
;-) - o2o2o2o2, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Windmills make noise, they are not silent. Its kind of like a hummm...
Doesnt matter how silent the turbine is, wind makes noise when it hits the blades. I feel sorry for the folks living near the blades. - JohnyD, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It reminds me of watching a subtitled movie while lying on my couch.... o_0
or rather...
o
|
O - amrom, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0remind's me of ken yeang's bioclimatic skyscrapers
- menard, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0SOM [ http://www.som.com ] has designed an office building in Guangzhou, China that uses integrated turbines [ and much more beautifully IMHO ] among other energy generating systems in what is supposed to be a zero energy building...
[ you'll have to dig through their infuriating flash site to find it, but you can see it here as well ]
http://thefraserdomain.typepad.com/energy/2007/01/zero_energy_chi.html - venir, on 10/12/2007, -8/+8They also double as a line of defence as they can chop up incoming planes.
I will now prepare to be buried. - wazzadoin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Is that a plane coming out of the World Trade Center?
Sorry. That was in bad taste... - jiggawoot, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1"Two more buildings, in London and in Hong Kong, are also
considering a similar move..."
I'd like to see a big propeller on the big glass gherkin in London. - Clearz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1"They also double as a line of defence as they can chop up incoming planes."
I got a chuckle out of that. - weasler7, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0How come we keep seeing these middle-eastern countries build exotic looking buildings, like the hotel at the UAE and this one but our buildings in the US are quite lame? :(
- zeyad, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0umm Bahrain is not in the UAE.
- afdager, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Talk about high-maintenance
- emontgomery, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Eugene Tsui designed the first of the wind turbined specs for buildings in the 1980s. But hey -- visionaries like Tsui don't often get their work built until its "hip" to be green, alternative, and over the top. But hey --more power to ya!
Check out www.tdrinc.com for the modern source of organic alternative architecture. - bairmik, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I like the way Future Systems incorporated the turbines in their design. To each his own.
http://www.future-systems.com/architecture/architecture_19.html - m1th, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2I'm not sure, but could the fact that it's positioned between two tall buildings be of any help to somehow redirect the wind?
- BansheeRider, on 11/10/2007, -1/+0now we know who really destroyed the WTC....Bahrein!
- Pic0, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4Pretty neat, how much power?
- ABadInAlbany, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1@jswoder18: Bahrain, Kuala Lampur, it's all the same to us idiot Westerners, right? I hope you aren't an American, further diminishing our reputation internationally, we're hard up as it is.
- BigglesPiP, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Makes sense
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