The Willis Tower recently received an upgrade to its antenna lighting that allows one person to use a smartphone or computer to change the lighting color in a matter of seconds.
Previously, lighting changes meant a crew of two electricians had to journey to the 109th and 110th floors of the 1,729-foot tower and manually place color pallets over each light. The process could take up to four hours. When the lighting was no longer needed, the crew would need to remove the palettes by hand, as well.
Photo courtesy EQ Office.
See Also: Willis Tower elevators receive upgrade as part of $500 million update
It isn’t just the speed with which the colors can be changed that has been upgraded, but also the amount of colors available. The old technology could only display 12 colors. The new technology produces so many colors, some of them aren’t even detectable by the human eye. It can also light up each antenna with several color rings or animate up and down the antennas.
The LED lights emit 337,248 lumens and are expected to save the tower more than 70% in antenna-lighting energy costs.
Photo courtesy EQ Office.
See Also: $500 million investment will modernize Chicago’s Willis Tower
Related Stories
Building Team | Jun 13, 2022
A mixed-used building to rise above Fort Lauderdale, with views of downtown and the ocean
ODA, a New York-based architecture and design studio, recently released renderings of Ombelle, a project including two residential towers in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Building Team | May 11, 2022
Miami to get its first supertall building
After completing its first supertall building, 111 W 57th Street in New York, developer PMG is now preparing for the groundbreaking of the first supertall in Miami: Waldorf Astoria Miami.
High-rise Construction | Apr 14, 2022
Seattle’s high-rise convention center nears completion
The new Washington State Convention Center Summit Building—billed as the first high-rise convention center in North America—is on track to complete most of its construction later this year.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 7, 2022
Ken Soble Tower becomes world’s largest residential Passive House retrofit
The project team for the 18-story high-rise for seniors slashed the building’s greenhouse gas emissions by 94 percent and its heating energy demand by 91 percent.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 28, 2022
Singapore’s new Irwell Hill residences will be built around heritage rain trees
The recently unveiled design of Irwell Hill, twin 36-story residence towers, calls for the development to be situated among copious greenery including preserved heritage rain trees.
Legislation | Mar 28, 2022
LEED Platinum office tower faces millions in fines due to New York’s Local Law 97
One Bryant Park, also known as the Bank of America Tower, in Manhattan faces an estimated $2.4 million in annual fines when New York City’s York’s Local Law 97 goes into effect.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 15, 2022
A 42-story tower envelops residents in Vancouver’s natural beauty
The city of Vancouver is world-renowned for the stunning nature that surrounds it: water, beaches, mountains. A 42-story tower, Fifteen Fifteen, will envelop residents in that natural beauty.
Projects | Mar 11, 2022
Studying science in the sky
In sharp contrast to other types of commercial real estate, the life sciences market is booming, according to SGA, an architecture firm based in Boston and New York that has extensive experience designing life sciences buildings.
Urban Planning | Nov 11, 2021
Reimagining the concrete and steel jungle, SOM sees buildings that absorb more carbon than they emit
The firm presented its case for a cleaner built environment during the Climate Change conference in Scotland.
High-rise Construction | Nov 2, 2021
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt completes in NYC
Snøhetta designed the project.
