One of the most recognized and popular buildings in the world is going green. The Empire State Building in New York City will undergo eight major retrofits to greatly increase its energy efficiency in terms of both consumption and emissions.
The project is part of former U.S. President Bill Clinton's Climate Change Initiative, and supports NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plan to make the city sustainable by the year 2030. The project will demonstrate to city agencies and private building owners that lower energy consumption will save money as well as help the environment. One of the major components of the overall project will be the refurbishment of approximately 6,500 windows to block heat inducing sunlight in the warm months, and to decrease heat loss during colder months.
The project will also feature overall building HVAC system updates, as well as individualized tenant energy management systems. Here's an
article that talks about many of the specific changes that NYC's iconic building will be undergoing.