[SS-Traveller]

Incredible as it may sound, a new skyscraper in London actually melted parts of a Jaguar by reflecting sunlight onto it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-23930675

A new London skyscraper dubbed the "Walkie Talkie" has been blamed for reflecting light which melted parts of a car parked on a nearby street.
Martin Lindsay parked his Jaguar on Eastcheap, in the City of London, on Thursday afternoon.

When he returned about two hours later, he found parts of his car - including the wing mirror and badge - had melted.


Mr Lindsay said he "could not believe" the damage. The developers have apologised and paid for repairs.


The 37-storey skyscraper at 20 Fenchurch Street, which has been nicknamed the "Walkie Talkie" because of its shape, is currently under construction.

Mr Lindsay, director of tiling company Moderna Contracts Ltd, said: "I was walking down the road and saw a photographer taking photos and asked, 'what's happening?'


"The photographer asked me 'have you seen that car? The owner won't be happy.'


"I said: 'I am the owner. Crikey, that's awful.'"


The wing mirror, panels and Jaguar badge had all melted, Mr Lindsay said.
"You can't believe something like this would happen," he added. "They've got to do something about it.


"It could be dangerous. Imagine if the sun reflected on the wrong part of the body.


"On the windscreen, there was a note from the construction company saying 'your car's buckled, could you give us a call?'"


In a joint statement, developers Land Securities and Canary Wharf said: "We are aware of concerns regarding the light reflecting from 20 Fenchurch Street and are looking into the matter.


"As a precautionary measure, the City of London has agreed to suspend three parking bays in the area which may be affected while we investigate the situation further."


Mr Lindsay said the developers had apologised and agreed to sort out the £946 repair costs.

Good of the developer to own up responsibility and pay for the damages, without even being asked first!

[Rudra Sen]

We are talking about 1000 degree Celsius from building glass refection? What's happening inside the car then?

[hellmet]

Wow, the developers offered to pay! Imagine what would happen in India.

@Rudra, where did you get the 1000'C number? Can't find it anywhere inside the article.

I guess the building's reflective glass windows were acting like a solar power plant by concentrating sun's rays into one spot.

[Rudra Sen]

Originally Posted by hellmet

@Rudra, where did you get the 1000'C number? Can't find it anywhere inside the article.

This is not from the article. Glasses melt at around 1400-1600 degree C. This, of course depends on the composition. At about 600 degree C plus glass tends to go soft.
This is my understanding. I'll be happy if someone corrects my understanding.

I guess the building's reflective glass windows were acting like a solar power plant by concentrating sun's rays into one spot.

Possible but then it'll affect on many other things at that area.

Again, please correct me if I'm wrong here.

[9thsphinx]

The Brits need to learn a thing or two from the Arabs and their sense of architecture. Well, not really, but the money they are willing to spend on such unique designs.

Here's the solution to the Walkie Talkie tower:

http://www.gizmag.com/al-bahar-towers/26139/

[tsk1979]

Reminds me of the Vegas hotel which burned swimmers by reflection
Death ray anyone? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/ar...dly-burnt.html

[FlatOut]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Incredible as it may sound, a new skyscraper in London actually melted parts of a Jaguar by reflecting sunlight onto it.

Not so incredible really, the power of the Sun is huge even without amplification, and modern cars are full of plastic parts. Glass or steel certainly wouldn't have melted, but nearlby shops have had their paint burned, carpets scorched and window display items damaged.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-23948811

[girimajiananth]

Originally Posted by hellmet

Wow, the developers offered to pay! Imagine what would happen in India.

If that happens in India , first the builder would blame you for buying a car and later would have claimed that the road was his and is no way responsible for any damage caused by the sunlight.

The very shape of the building is a mirror . Why didn't anyone realize this earlier ? What are they going to do next?

[amitoj]

Interesting find, SST!

"On the windscreen, there was a note from the construction company saying 'your car's buckled, could you give us a call?'"

LOL. I somehow picture Renee Zellweger from Bridget Jones' Diary saying that!

[Octane_Power]

I am not saying anything about the "molten jaguar" but this is really an issue of serious concern.

Lately, many researches have blamed these new high-rises with glass facades as a major cause for increasing the environmental heat and rising temperatures.
This results from the rays reflected by these buildings and it shoots up the temperature considerably.

-Bhargav