how do skyscrapers heat/cool all of their space and not overdraw electricity?

Question

What form of energy are they using for the heating? Surely can’t just be a giant oil furnace…. And what are the electricity costs for operating such a massive building? The draw from the grid must be insane

In: 6

Answer 1

For many large buildings, the various lighting, communication, and plumbing systems, plus the occupants, generate more than enough heat. Even in winter they need to cool areas of the building. One efficient way to do this is to move heat from the core of the building to the exterior areas next to the skin where some heating is needed.

Because of the efficiencies in larger shared systems, a 40-story building with 240 condo units uses far less electricity than 240 houses.