The Empire State Building Goes Green

The Clinton Climate Initiative, part of the William J. Clinton Foundation, announced today that they will be working with the city of New York in making the famous skyscraper greener and more efficient. Buildings contribute up to 80% of greenhouse gas emissions in some cities. With Mayor Michael Bloomberg by his side, President Clinton said that the Empire State Building will undergo an energy-saving retrofit to improve building efficiency, reduce its carbon footprint, and save on utility costs. This will be accomplished by replacing the windows with high efficiency glass, redesigning the heating and cooling systems, and improving lighting efficiency. With these changes, it should reduce energy use by 38 percent.

The William J. Clinton Foundation, where I am currently interning, was created by former President Clinton after he left the White House. The foundation works with a variety of different issues, from making HIV and AIDS medications affordable for people in Africa, battling climate change, eliminating childhood obesity, and creating sustainable growth in Latin America. What he has done for people all over the world is amazing and I can stress enough the respect I have for President Clinton and his dedication to helping others.

This video gives a good overview of how the Empire State Building is going green.