MECH TALK - TWISTING THE TUSK OF TECHNOLOGY

The Bahrain World Trade Center is the first skyscraper to have wind turbines integrated into the structure of the building. Three large turbines are suspended between two office towers, The towers are aerodynamically tapered to funnel wind and draw air into the turbines. This airfoil tapering allows the wind to enter the turbines at a perpendicular angle and increases air speed as much as 30 percent in each of the 95 ft wide turbine rotors. The turbine supply about 15 percent of the electricity used by the skyscraper-approximately the same amount of electricity used by 300 homes