December 24, 2007—New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Tishman Speyer recently announced a number of energy conservation initiatives for Rockefeller Center, including the use of LED lights on the Center’s Christmas tree, which attracts 500,000 New Yorkers and tourists daily, and a new solar energy roof. They also announced the installation of a new “green” roof atop Radio City Music Hall, and a new ice chiller plant.
The lights on this year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree represent the latest in energy-efficient LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology. The tree’s 30,000 LEDs, on five miles of wire, will draw a fraction of the power that is traditionally required by the tree, reducing energy consumption from 3,510 kilowatt hours to 1,297 kilowatt hours per day. The new solar energy roof will generate more electricity in its first year than the tree lights will consume over the 42 days they will be illuminated, says Tishman Speyer.
Tishman Speyer has installed 363 General Electric solar panels on the roof of 45 Rockefeller Plaza to help reduce the building’s electricity consumption. The panels, designed by the company AltPower, will create a 70 kilowatt DC generation station that is tied to the Rockefeller Center grid. The roof, which Tishman Speyer says will be the largest privately owned solar energy generation station in Manhattan, will conserve energy during peak usage times year-round and help power the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree’s new energy-efficient LED lights.
The Mayor and Tishman Speyer also announced the installation of a green roof atop Radio City Music Hall that will minimize wastewater and cool the area. The 18,000 square foot roof will be converted using desert plantings that require little water in summer and go dormant in winter.
For more information about New York City’s environmental initiatives, visit PLANYC .
