Empire State Building Going Green

Empire State Building, once the world’s tallest building, is now set for a $100 million ‘green renovation.’ Empire State Building the iconic symbol of NY, just underwent an eight month modeling and analysis program and will receive a massive Green overhaul.
The 102-story Empire State building was built during the Great Depression; now, during the current economic ’stumbles,’ Empire State building is poised to lead the way into a more efficient future. “We have a very deep commitment to sustainability,” Tony Malkin of the Empire State Building Company says. “Without applying sustainable practices in all aspects of our businesses and lives, we will greatly harm our future.”

Empire State building management has also decided not to apply for LEED certification, opting instead to making the building as efficient and healthy as possible without such guidelines. The partners involved in Empire State building goin green project are fully aware that this project will be serving as a template for the massive efficiency upgrades in store for many of the nation’s buildings in the not so distant future. Seventy-five percent of the 4.5 million buildings in the United States are more than 20 years old and need energy retrofits. While a 38% predicted reduction in energy use is an incredibly ambitious undertaking. Empire State Building’s renovation agenda include a total overhaul of the HVAC system, improvements to the Empire State building's envelope, triple-glazed windows, electronic readouts to make users aware of their personal energy consumption, maximized day lighting, tenant demand ventilation control, and occupant sensor controls.
This retrofit of Empire State building is just what New York needed. It does the job and does it well. If the parties involved in Empire State building goin green project are able to achieve the savings they anticipate, there will be no excuse not to look to the Empire State Building as the symbol of progress and American ingenuity that it was when it was built.