July 8, 2009 A report by the Associated Press notes that iconic skyscrapers, including the Empire State Building in New York City and the Christman Building in Lansing, Michigan, are adding environmentally friendly features both to save energy and to boost appeal for potential tenants.
The 78-year-old Empire State Building added insulating windows and other green features as more property owners become convinced that greener buildings make more environmental sense. In recent years, environmental retrofits have begun to pay off for owners and tenants alike, says the article. And the retrofits lead to higher property values and fewer vacancies.
Renovation specialists around the country have been plugging porous walls in numerous old buildings, adding high tech water systems and using recycled material in carpets and tile. One of them is the Christman Building in Lansing, Mich., an 81-year-old Elizabethan Revival office that’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While repairing the limestone exterior and preserving details like the mica light fixtures, the building owners spent $8.5 million to add water-efficient plumbing and increased the amount of natural light. They also capped the building with a reflective “cool” roof, says the article.
Chicago’s Sears Tower will soon embark on a five-year, $350 million green renovation. The 110-story, staggered skyscraper, which turned 36 this year, will crown its rooftops with solar panels, wind turbines and up to 35,000 square feet of sunlight-absorbing gardens. When complete, the improvements will cut the tower’s annual electricity use by 80 percent and save 24 million gallons of water, property managers say.
For more information, see the Associated Press article.
