NEW YORK CITY — New York’s iconic Empire State Building has been awarded the LEED Gold for Existing Buildings certification. This distinction comes as further recognition from the $550 million Empire State ReBuilding program. The 1,454-foot-tall, 2.85 million-square-foot property is the tallest building in the U.S. to receive LEED certification.
The Empire State Building is celebrating its 80th anniversary while nearing completion of its modernized renewal and repurposing. It is one of a small number of National Historic Landmarks to earn the LEED Gold designation, which was established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).
“LEED Gold certification is another win for us following our ground-breaking energy efficiency retrofit work,” said Anthony Malkin, Empire State Building Company. “It is my hope that all future LEED certifications for existing building projects will require demonstrable, quantifiable improvements in energy efficiency, delivering economic returns for building owners, tenants, and the communities in which they are located.”
The Empire State Building ownership directed that sustainable practices be at the center of new operations and upgrades as part of the Empire State ReBuilding program. Low environmental impact operations procedures were put in place immediately following the transition of the day-to-day operations of the building from Helmsley-Spear to Malkin Holdings, supervisor of building owner Empire State Building Company. After the energy efficiency retrofit program was developed and its implementation was underway, Jones Lang LaSalle led a separate study of the feasibility of LEED certification. This feasibility study showed that LEED Gold certification was within reach at an incremental cost of about $0.25 per square foot.
The LEED Gold certification follows the creation and implementation of a new replicable, transparent, quantifiable process for economically justified energy efficient retrofits in the existing built environment created by a team of the Clinton Climate Initiative, Johnson Controls, Jones Lang LaSalle and the Rocky Mountain Institute. The analytical model is non-proprietary and open-source and is being replicated at other properties around the world.
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. The building gained ENERGY STAR certification in 2010 and has maintained ENERGY STAR certification in 2011.*
The improvements also reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 105,000 metric tons over 15 years. In January 2011, Malkin agreed to buy carbon offsets totalling 55 million kilowatt hours per year of renewable energy, making the Empire State Building carbon-neutral.
Beyond energy efficiency, elements that contributed to the Empire State Building's 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 Empire State Building receiving 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.
“LEED certification is one of the top criteria for many tenants today, and it reinforces the strong business case we have made for a cost-effective energy retrofit that lowers tenant occupancy costs,” said Dana Robbins Schneider, vice president of Jones Lang LaSalle and the program manager of the energy retrofit and LEED feasibility assessment and application process.
The energy retrofit and other actions leading to LEED certification also helped New York's economy by creating jobs for 250 people, Schneider noted.
“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.
— Dan Marcec
*For more on the analytical model, visit www.esbsustainability.com.