Freedom Tower put to the test

A 40-foot-tall section of the Freedom Tower’s glass outer wall is being tested for durability by being exposed to extreme conditions at a California testing lab. The paneled wall, which is equivalent to those that will be used to make up the 1 million square feet of the building’s glass outer layer, is being subjected to pelting rain, 74 mph winds, extreme heat and cold and ground vibrations. The tower, which is slated to be complete in 2011, will stand 1,776 feet tall with the addition of an antenna to the 1,336 foot tall tower.