Tower will require zero energy

Architects at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill have grand plans for a new corporate headquarters tower near the Pearl River in Guangzhou, China. The tower’s shape will funnel wind down the vertical face of the structure toward vertical-axis wind turbines, which will generate power for the building. The façade will also incorporate photovoltaic panels to provide supplemental power for the building. Other green goodies include radiant coils in the floor slabs, which will eliminate the need for conventional heating and cooling systems. SOM’s goal: to create a building that operates solely on energy generated on site.