May 2nd, 2012

The media seems intent on giving climate skeptics much more than equal time. On Monday, the New York Times printed a cover story about the last arrow in the climate skeptics arsenal, the argument that cloud cover will adjust to a warming world and let more heat escape to space.

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January 6th, 2011

New York City’s hallmark Empire State Building, which is undergoing a major green remodeling, will now become the city’s biggest commercial buyer of renewable energy. The skyscraper’s owners have signed a two-year contract with Green Mountain Energy, which will supply the facility with 100 percent green power by buying Renewable Energy Certificates.

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August 2nd, 2010

Empire State Building

The Empire State Building has unveiled a $2 million interactive, multi-media sustainability exhibit at the second floor visitor’s center, which showcases a $20 million energy retrofit project that was announced in April 2009 with President Bill Clinton and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Building officials said the installation’s goal is to educate the millions of people who visit the building every year on the positive global impact of both energy efficient building and sustainable living practices. Upon completion of the program, the Empire State Building will reduce total energy usage by more than 38 percent, energy costs by $4.4 million annually, and carbon emissions by 105,000 metric tons over the next 15 years

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March 1st, 2010

From Green Right Now Reports

Retrofitting doesn’t always get the attention that new green building generates, with its “net zero” and passive solar designs.

Empire State Building (Photo: Empire State Building Co.)

But the impact of retrofitting can be great, and it comes with the bonus of preserving historic and treasured structures — like the Empire State Building.

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August 19th, 2009

By Ashley Phillips
Green Right Now

Last week, President William J. Clinton made a stop in Chicago to address the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment at its annual Climate Leadership Summit. Since leaving office, President Clinton has spent his time focusing on issues that, to him, make a difference. One that the former president has chosen to tackle is the environment, and in his opinion, the economy and the environment go hand in hand.

In his view, the future is green and in relation to the economy, green is gold. Count him among those who believe we can best increase economic activity by investing in the new emerging energy economy.

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April 7th, 2009

From Green Right Now Reports

The Empire State Building is getting a $500 million energy efficiency retrofit that is expected to reduce the iconic skyscraper’s energy consumption by up to 38 percent.

The project, already underway, is intended to become a model for analyzing and retrofitting existing structures for environmental sustainability. The makeover is a collaboration among a group of world-class environmental consulting, non-profit, design and construction partners, including Clinton Climate Initiative, Rocky Mountain Institute, Johnson Controls Inc. and Jones Lang LaSalle.

Building systems work is slated to be completed by the end of 2010, with final completion of tenant spaces by the end of 2013. Work that is scheduled to be completed within 18 months will result in more than 50 percent of the projected energy savings.

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