Going Green is Catching!
The Sears Tower
It has been known that commercial buildings take a lot of energy to keep them going.
The Sears Tower (Chicago) is going to be renamed to the Willis Tower later this summer and is now going to undergo a $350 million “green” retrofit for the 110-story office tower.
The plan calls for a reduction in its electricity consumption by 80 percent and water usage by 40 percent.
To achieve the savings, owner American Landmark Properties and its partners plan to:
- Replace the 1973 tower’s 16,000 tinted single-pane windows and create a “thermal break” between Chicago’s frigid winters and hot summers and the interior.
- Install gas boilers equipped with fuel cells, which generate electricity, heat and cooling.
- Revamp the tower’s 104 elevators and 15 escalators to cut their electricity usage by 40 percent.
- Conserve 24 million gallons of water with new restroom fixtures and “condensation capture.”
- “Harvest daylight” by installing systems that automatically dim lighting based on available natural light.
- Install solar panels to heat water.
- Erect wind turbines on building setbacks, if possible.
- Plant green roofs that will be among the highest in the world to reduce storm runoff and the urban heat island effect.
- Replace granite plazas and walls surrounding the tower with terraced park space, trees, glass storefronts and an interactive digital display.
They feel that will all of these changes that they could qualify for the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.
And not to be outdone …
The Empire State Building’s retrofit aims to prevent the release of 105,000 metric tons of CO2 annually—the same amount Washington, D.C puts out in nearly 10 days.
* Window insulation: This would include the refurbishment of glass windows, using existing glass and sashes to create triple-glazed insulated panels with new components that dramatically reduce both summer heat load and winter heat loss.
* Radiator insulation: Added insulation behind radiators would be used to reduce heat loss and more efficiently heat the building perimeter.
* Tenant lighting improvements: Introduction of improved lighting designs, controls, and plug load occupancy sensors in common areas and tenant spaces to reduce electricity costs and cooling loads.
* Air handler replacements: Replacement of air handling units—devices used to condition and circulate air as part of a heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning system, or HVAC—with variable frequency drive fans to allow increased energy efficiency in operation while improving comfort for individual tenants.
* Chiller/air-conditioning plant retrofit: Reuse of existing chiller shells—chillers are used in AC units to cool and dehumidify air—while removing and replacing “guts” to improve chiller efficiency and controllability, including the introduction of variable frequency drives.
* Whole-building control system upgrade: Upgrade of existing building control system to optimize HVAC operation, as well as to provide more detailed submetering information.
* Ventilation control upgrade: Introduction of demand control ventilation in occupied spaces to improve air quality and reduce energy required to condition outside air.
* Tenant energy management systems: Introduction of individualized, web-based power usage systems for each tenant to allow more efficient management of power usage
These retrofits are to cost about $20 million with the end result of reducing the utilities by 30 – 50 percent.
Do you feel the movement? When our tallest buildings are “going green”, then there is something afoot!
Related articles by Zemanta
- Green aspirations (thestar.com)
- ecobee, Maker of New Smart Thermostat, Expands Sales Capabilities (newswire.ca)
- Smartcool receives 500 unit order for revolutionary ECO(3)(TM) (newswire.ca)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=298a79bc-3967-4d76-b312-e30dd7424138)
Tags: Air conditioning, Business, Efficient energy use, Empire State Building, energy conservation, environment, Going Green, green, hvac, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, retrofit, sun, Urban heat island, water, wind
July 14th, 2009 at 5:21 am
[...] Going Green is Catching! | Forced Green [...]
July 14th, 2009 at 9:46 am
I’m so glad they are updating the building…but I wish they wouldn’t change the name!
.-= corrin´s last blog ..Best Picture Ever =-.
July 14th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Hi corrin … I agree! However, there is evidently no choice at this moment.
July 14th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
I am so glad I found your site. These are the types of things I like to read and hear about. What fantastic news and a great example for the rest of the country.
Before I finished reading the article, I was thinking, wouldn’t it be awesome if they used solar and wind turbines on the buildings too, and there it was, already on the list of things to do, if feasible.
I love it. Great post, thanks for sharing!
.-= American Idiot´s last blog ..Ask Yourself: Global Climate Change =-.
July 14th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
This sets a great precedent and I hope many others will follow. I saw a piace the other evening aboout the glass look-out stands on the Sears Tower. You must not be afraid of heights to step out there, but the view is magnificent.
.-= askcherlock´s last blog ..Get Me Some Comfort Food—-QUICK! =-.
July 14th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
HI AI … They are doing what they can with what they have slotted for themselves. I also agree it is awesome for these two buildings to be the shining stars.
July 14th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Hi askcherlock …. I am afraid that I am a person who dislikes heights and to stand out there would be awesome …. for some one other than me!
July 14th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
That’s really cool that they’re going green. I don’t like that they’re changing the name, though. That’s like changing the name of The White House or something…
.-= Sadie´s last blog ..Weight Loss Tea =-.
July 14th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
It is going to be hard to think of the Sears Tower with a different name! Who is Willis?
July 14th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
This is great news Linda. I love to see urban sites getting rekitted ala green.
.-= yanjiaren´s last blog ..INTERMISSION : BLOC PARTY – ONE MORE CHANCE.. =-.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
It is important nowadays to convert our house or offices into a going green place. This would help save our environment and thus we could save up more on our energy consumptions.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Hmm…, why it have to change the name, Linda? I thought Sears Tower is a very good name, and it should keep the name! By the way, I’m happy that the Willis Tower is joining the green movement…
.-= wilson´s last blog ..The Best Way to Avoid the Cross-spread of Germs! =-.
July 14th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
well this is great news. now if we can just get our federal gov. to start the greening program on our federal bldgs, schools and hospitals. that would bloom the green movement in america.
great post
.-= RE Ausetkmt´s last blog ..Use Your SUPER Power Bloggers – Lets Save The Children =-.
July 15th, 2009 at 6:41 am
Hi Sadie … I know, but it will happen this summer
Hi Karen … They are the new tenant, global insurance broker, Willis Group Holdings
Hi yanjiaren … It is good as Chicago has been really doing their going green events pretty regularly. New York is on a beginning stage.
July 15th, 2009 at 7:13 am
Hi Wilson … When you are the new tenant, you get to change the name.
Hi RE … it certainly would and I am glad to see that you agree with the strategy!
July 15th, 2009 at 7:21 am
Thank u, once again for informing me of this positive news.
July 15th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Hi spygrrl … you are welcome!
July 16th, 2009 at 7:59 am
What a great proposal – I hope this encourages more people to become green and change their way of life.
July 16th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Hi Shauna … As we write, talk or spread the word about commercial buildings being retrofitted, the more others will follow. The savings are just too great not to!
July 16th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Amazing not just in the doing but the statistical savings! You always do such a killer job keeping the rest of us up to date! Thanks!
.-= Diane Scott´s last blog ..Alternate Ways to Make Money Online =-.
July 17th, 2009 at 8:27 am
Going Green is Catching! | Forced Green…
It has been known that commercial buildings take a lot of energy to keep them going….
July 17th, 2009 at 8:45 am
Hi Diane … Did ya see that this was in the news? The name change took place yesterday!
July 21st, 2009 at 9:27 am
Very cool info. So much money to do this it is really great that organizations now are willing to pay.
.-= Shane´s last blog ..Resveratrol – What You Need to Know about this Piece of the Anti-Aging Puzzle =-.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Hi Shane … truth be known, they now understand that these buildings can be run much cheaper if they implement a few green things. It is still about money.
September 21st, 2009 at 5:53 pm
That is a great article. Thank you for sharing.
September 21st, 2009 at 9:40 pm
Hi Charles … You are welcome and come back again!