by Shane Henson — September 19, 2011—The Empire State Building, dubbed the “World’s Most Famous Office Building,” provides visitors from around the globe with a spectacular view of New York City from its 1,454-foot height. The historic landmark continues to set the pace through its recent awarding of LEED Gold status for Existing Buildings certification.
The 2.85 million-square-foot building, now 80 years old, is one of a small number of national historic landmarks to earn the designation, which was established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). A pre-built space on the 42nd floor has also been certified Platinum under the LEED for Commercial Interiors rating system.
“By earning LEED Gold, the Empire State Building has sent a powerful message that green buildings don’t have to be new—even the most iconic, historic buildings, as grand in scale as in reputation, can be among the most high-performing, energy-efficient, green buildings,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of USGBC.
The LEED Gold certification follows the ground-breaking creation and implementation of a new replicable, transparent, quantifiable process for economically justified energy-efficient retrofits in the existing built environment. The retrofit, conducted by Johnson Controls and Jones Lang LaSalle, is guaranteed to reduce the building’s energy consumption by more than 38 percent and should save $4.4 million in energy costs annually, representing an approximate three-year payback of the cost of implementation. According to Jones Lang LaSalle, the improvements will also reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 105,000 metric tons over 15 years.
The building also gained Energy Star certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2010 and has maintained Energy Star certification in 2011.
Beyond energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions, activities at the Empire State Building that helped achieve LEED Gold certification include:
- Installation of ultra low-flow fixtures in the building’s restrooms;
- Use of green cleaning supplies and pest control products;
- Recycling of tenant waste and construction debris;
- Use of recycled paper products;
- Use of recycled content carpets, low off-gassing wall coverings, paints, and adhesives; and
- A program of tenant engagement, including submetering, a newly created Tenant Energy Management System, and mandatory green requirements in lease agreements.
In addition to the LEED Gold certification, a 3,500-square-foot pre-built space on the 42nd floor has been certified Platinum under the LEED for Commercial Interiors rating system. Jones Lang LaSalle built out the space in accordance with the building’s interior design guidelines in order to demonstrate the cost and energy savings to tenants and prospects. The northward-facing space with views to the east and west is a key stop on leasing tours of the building, and is also available for lease to a tenant with immediate move-in needs, note the companies.
