Switched has a new home! Huffpost Tech.

Click here to visit the new home of Switched!

Hot on HuffPost Tech:

See More Stories
AOL Tech

Built-In Turbines Power Skyscraper, Keep Watch Over Middle-Earth

by Matthew Zuras on March 16, 2010 at 06:30 AM

Construction is nearly complete on the Strata skyscraper in central London. The Strata is the tallest residential tower in the area, and boasts a unique feature, built-in wind turbines, making it the first building of its kind. The five-bladed turbines, each measuring about twelve feet in diameter, are expected to raise 50 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity per year, effectively providing 8-percent of the building's power.

Climbing well above other structures in the area, the Strata takes advantage of the 35 mph winds that regularly whip around its peak. Furthermore, the building aims for sustainability by recycling graywater, incorporating a thermally efficient façade, and utilizing low-energy light bulbs in the building's apartments.

The approximately $172 million (£113 million) project is set to be completed this April. With the housing market in the U.K. currently glutted with available properties, it may be challenging to fill the units at the Strata. The green stuff is all well and good, but we're torn over the building's aesthetic. Perhaps some of our geekier readers may enjoy living somewhere that looks like 'Blade Runner' meets the Dark Tower of Sauron, but we'll pass. [From: Inhabitat, via: DVICE]

Tags: architecture, design, green, london, StrataSkyscraper, sustainable, top, WindPower, WindTurbine

HuffPost AOL Social News Most Popular