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EcoGeek’s Jon Schroeder has published an article titled “Uber-Eco-Towers: The Top Ten Green Skyscrapers“. While the staff at Lazy Weekend appreciates Mr. Schroeder’s article, the glaring omission of the James Bond JetPack Rating™ did not go unnoticed. So without further ado…

The Hearst Tower, New York City (Status: Open for Business)

EcoGeek Sez: The Hearst Tower became New York City’s first skyscraper to achieve LEED Gold accreditation from the USGBC when it opened its doors last year. 80% of the steel used to make the behemoth was recycled. On the inside, the floors and ceiling tiles are made from recycled materials as well.

The diamond shapes on the building’s façade aren’t just for show either. The diagonal grid required fewer steel beams to achieve the same rigidity as a conventional skyscraper, and the design allows more natural light to enter the tower.

What’s more, rainwater is collected on the roof and is funneled into a 14,000-gallon tank in the basement. The Hearst gathers enough water from the sky to account for 50% of the tower’s usage. It’s pumped into the cooling system, used for irrigating plants and for the innovative water sculpture in the main lobby.

The Lazy Weekend Staff Sez: The city that never sleeps is a great fit for 007. The diamond shapes are a real plus too. Not a residential tower, but the presence of the very jet-set looking Cafe 57 is a definite plus. Downside? Cafe 57 is the preferred lunch locale of the O, The Oprah Magazine staff. This is significant in that it essentially neutralizes Bond’s famous “hotter than Oprah” pick-up line.

4 jetpacks.

340 on the Park, Chicago (Status: Nearly finished)

EcoGeek Sez: When 340 on the Park opens later this year in Chicago, it may become the first residential greenscraper in the city to meet LEED standards. The building is sure to be a wealthy EcoGeek’s dream-come-true. If you have $700K to throw down on a 1600 square-foot condo, you can enjoy low utility bills thanks to the building’s fully insulated windows and rainwater capture system. And the most awesome amenity is the multi-storey winter garden starting on floor 25.

The Lazy Weekend Staff Sez: While the name “340 on the Park” would sound like a properly named building for Mr. Bond, we could never picture him choosing Chicago as a city of residence. WWJL (where would James live)? It’s gotta be something with an ocean view, and sorry to say, Chicago is in a land-locked state. Even more damning is the fact that the building doesn’t have that space-age bachelor pad look that James demands.

1 jetpack.

The Urban Cactus, Rotterdam (Status: Under Construction)
EcoGeek Sez: The Urban Cactus is a residential project in the Netherlands that will offer 98 residential units on 19 floors. Thanks to the staggered design of the curvy balconies, each unit’s outdoor space will get plenty of light from the sun. That means that this greenscraper really will be green when all the residents’ gardens are in bloom. While this tower may lack in the technology department, its carbon-mitigation potential still looms high thanks to all the photosynthesis happening on the porch. Plus, its white color will help to mitigate the urban heat island effect.

The Lazy Weekend Staff Sez: For James? Puh-leeze.

0 jetpacks, 5 Oddjobs.

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