Downtown Skyline Update

[CSOM]

A. Its their buildings and they can do as they please

B. Energy conservation is not "tacky" or "a load of crap"

THIS

[Subdude]

Last night, the blue lights on the top of the Continental building were white. I had never seen this before but it looked really sharp.

Haven't seen it but I always thought the blue was cool looking.

Of COURSE Energy Conservation is not a load of crap. There are plenty of ways to conserve energy though...

If the buildings are going to be lit the type of lighting would make a big difference. LED lights are very inefficient and last a long time. The downside is that it would be necessary to use several rows of them in order to be visible from a distance. It might be a worthwhile compromise.

[totheskies]

Oh how I love the Holidays!! The downtown skyline looks awesome right now with the lights on Heritage Plaza and BoA. Chase looks kinda weird with the green top, but oh well.

[Geoff8201]

-workout machines that are hooked up to generators and fed through the power grid

Ok, I've used exercise bikes and elliptical machines that power themselves... but not the lights in the gym.

And one good thing about this, is the skyline during the Holidays looks that much more festive with the contrast of having no lights 11 months out of 12. It's much less spectacular if you see it all year long.

And offices can cut so much, and already are. Changing from 40watt T12s to 32watt or 28watt T8 fluorescents, not to mention changing to LED type Exit Signs in the older buildings has and will continue to help a lot.

[photolitherland]

Photo I got from the Hilton Hotel Saturday night. Man, Houston is looking good these days.

[Subdude]

Fantastic photo!

[jayshoota]

Fantastic photo!

I agree! You do great night shots photolitherland! When you come back to town, if you happend to get some night shots of the River Oaks Theater and the Uptown Skyline with the Christmas lights I would not be upset....LOL.

[Geoff8201]

Fantastic photo!

Ditto.

Those night shots can be tricky. Having to allow the shutter to stay open for so long can be impossible without a tripod or steady surface of some sort. On my Sony Cybershot the slightest little bump, or even pressing the button too jittery, to take the photo, can sometimes throw it off just enough that you end up with a blur.

[UrbaNerd]

Anyone else notice the green and red Christmas tree on top of the Fulbright tower?

[Johnme]

Yeah, I'm sorry but this whole "let's conserve energy by not turning on all of the lights" is a load of crap.

We need to light-up everything in downtown. A clear night shouldn't go by that WEDGE tower, JP Chase, and Wells Fargo arent' lit up from end to end. I think it looks tacky, and it does not show pride in our downtown.

Think about how visitors to the city feel. "Oh, that's downtown?? uh, ok, but I kinda like Dallas' better... it's big and bright!"

I agree with you completely; our downtown looks like a ghost town and we are the fourth largest city in the United States! Dallas and Austin have us beat on nighttime skylines and they are getting better with each new development. If they really want to save electricity they can shut off the lights in the unoccupied offices at night and that would make a real difference.

[Johnme]

Ummm i think the lighting downtown lately is terrible. the only building that has any lighting on top is the continental building. what happend to the light on top of the wells fargo tower or chase tower. the two tallest buildings in Houston dont light up the top at night. I realize it is probably more cost effective to not have lights on top but neon lighting dosnt cost that much. Downtown would look so much better if all the buidings were all lit up at night. Kind of like when we used to have that laser show every year, they lit up the skyline awesome for that event.

I agree with you completely; our downtown looks like a ghost town and we are the fourth largest city in the United States! Dallas and Austin have us beat on nighttime skylines and they are getting better with each new development. If they really want to save electricity they can shut off the lights in the unoccupied offices at night and that would make a real difference.

[Johnme]

Does anyone have a picture of Heritage Plaza all lit up? When I moved to Houston it was only pieces lit up at night, but at least it was something. Then one day the whole thing was on, and then never again.

I have some old videos of Houston at night from when that building was lit up, but I have yet to post those online.

[bgiangmanman]

i think that the blue light coming out of the centerpoint energy tower brings life to downtown. they should have colorful lights on all the skyscrapers like NYC

[UrbaNerd]

They might just be testing the lights for now or something. Perhaps they will change it according to seasonal events/etc. It would be neat if they could emulate another "big sleek box with a hole on the top"; ie the Memorial Hermann tower, whose lights change colours now and then. But hey, as stated by others, there is elegance in restraint.

[mfastx]

Wouldn't a building that has wind turbines to offset power usage contradict itself by having an extravagant lighting scheme? I think it should be pitch black at night except for whatever the FAA requires.

What a sad, depressing world this would be if each building were like this. Why are people against lighting? Downtown would certainly look much better like this:

Now, downtown looks dead at night, hopefully the Hess Tower lighting can inspire these boring owners. Heck, even the Methodist Outpatient Center turned off it's lights, what's the deal?

[TheNiche]

What a sad, depressing world this would be if each building were like this. Why are people against lighting?

Some of us are not especially against lighting insomuch as we do not care. We have no dog in the fight; as an aside, that's also why I personally have a hard time caring about professional sports.

Really...downtown lighting...what does it mean?

[20thStDad]

What a sad, depressing world this would be if each building were like this. Why are people against lighting? Downtown would certainly look much better like this:

Now, downtown looks dead at night, hopefully the Hess Tower lighting can inspire these boring owners. Heck, even the Methodist Outpatient Center turned off it's lights, what's the deal?

It's not depressing, it's eerie, could be chilling depending on the noise level in the area. Some lights are ok, extravagant light pollution for no reason isn't necessary.

[crunchtastic]

It's not depressing, it's eerie, could be chilling depending on the noise level in the area. Some lights are ok, extravagant light pollution for no reason isn't necessary.

Perhaps there is too much science fiction talking here, but it seems to me that the less human a place the more brightly lit it is. Creeps me out.

[TheNiche]

Perhaps there is too much science fiction talking here, but it seems to me that the less human a place the more brightly lit it is. Creeps me out.

In all fairness, I'd have to dispute that.

Of all the races depicted in the Star Trek canon, only Starfleet ships were ever brightly lit, often featured brightly-lit deflector dishes, large blue-striped nacelles with prominent glowing Bussard Ramscoops, running lights, and plenty of lit windows facing out into space. The less humanistic the race, the darker-colored the ships; at the far end of the spectrum were the Borg, with dark-colored unlit windowless, featureless, geometric shapes for ships.

Gene Roddenbery probably would've favored downtown lighting. But I'm not him. I just don't care.

[crunchtastic]

In all fairness, I'd have to dispute that.

Of all the races depicted in the Star Trek canon, only Starfleet ships were ever brightly lit, often featured brightly-lit deflector dishes, large blue-striped nacelles with prominent glowing Bussard Ramscoops, running lights, and plenty of lit windows facing out into space. The less humanistic the race, the darker-colored the ships; at the far end of the spectrum were the Borg, with dark-colored unlit windowless, featureless, geometric shapes for ships.

Gene Roddenbery probably would've favored downtown lighting. But I'm not him. I just don't care.

Star Trek, nyet. More the bright white lights of Kubrick.

But I'm with you, I don't much care about lights downtown. Just don't be ugly and slutty about it, is all I'm saying.

[mfastx]

I guess you haven't been paying attention to the news for the past couple of years.

Guess not. The only thing I can think of is that Houston is trying to be "energy efficient" I read that in the news. But other than that, pleas fill me in.

[ricco67]

Guess not. The only thing I can think of is that Houston is trying to be "energy efficient" I read that in the news. But other than that, pleas fill me in.

I don't think "Houston" is trying to be more energy efficient, I think it is the owners of the various buildings, current and future, that are trying to be smart and find new ways to reduce costs for the long run.

[TheNiche]

Maybe, but one would think that they would start with the interior lighting, can't imagine how leaving all those lights on inside costs less that leaving the exterior lights on outside.

The interior lights that you see now are just part of the construction process. The fixtures that are ultimately installed will be significantly more efficient and not constantly on.

[mfastx]

The interior lights that you see now are just part of the construction process. The fixtures that are ultimately installed will be significantly more efficient and not constantly on.

No I am talking about the interior lights always on on all of the completed buildings, I was just talking about downtown in general (I know off topic lol sorry) Actually I am quite satisfied with the Hess Tower lighting.

[RedScare]

No I am talking about the interior lights always on on all of the completed buildings, I was just talking about downtown in general (I know off topic lol sorry) Actually I am quite satisfied with the Hess Tower lighting.

Umm...ever heard of cleaning crews?

[20thStDad]

Umm...ever heard of cleaning crews?

Unacceptable, the cleaning crews should be staffed only with morlocks so they can keep the lights off. Anyone working late during a new moon is asking for it.

[TheNiche]

Umm...ever heard of cleaning crews?

...or 24-hour call centers, or workaholics, or pulling an all-nighter to wrap a project on a hard deadline. I've done a lot of the latter two but have never worked for a firm that didn't employ some kind of mechanism to turn off the lights once everyone was out of there.

[roadrunner]

According to some code (maybe a fire code), a certain number of lights on each floor cannot turn off. That, cleaning crews, and investment bankers are why you see all of those buildings lit up.

[mfastx]

Umm...ever heard of cleaning crews?

Of course I have. I have family that work in offices and they say the cleaning crews/custodians do their thing, and leave the lights on all night after they've finished.

[scarface]

Now, an owner with an empty building might look at it differently. Building owners in Miami, Atlanta and Dallas, where vacancy rates are far higher, may add some lights in an effort to lure a new tenant.

One would think that a building owner with empty tennants wouldn't even have the $$$ to light exterior lighting. Do you really think that's the reason why Dallas lights its buildings? I thought it was to look pretty.