環境諮詢人員、非營利組織、設計師與建築師在4月6日公布了一項創新的計畫，利用帝國大廈作為試驗與範例，分析並翻新既有的建築結構，以達到環境永續經營的目的。
共同推行這項計畫的包括「帝國大廈公司」(Empire State Building Company)、「柯林頓氣候計劃」(Clinton Climate Initiative)、「洛磯山脈學會」(Rocky Mountain Institute)、「約翰遜控制公司」(Johnson Controls Inc.)與「仲量聯行公司」(Jones Lang LaSalle)。
本計畫是第一個運用各種不同的方式，整合眾多步驟讓能源使用更有效率；該計畫核心部分預計花費5億美元，目前正在這棟全世界最著名的辦公大樓進行。
這項計畫預計在第五大道與西34街交叉口共102層建物中，減少最多38%的能源耗用量，並且為全世界類似的計畫提供一個可複製仿效的原型。這項建築系統計畫已經啟動，預計在2010年底完工。
帝國大廈公司建築所有人馬汀(Anthony Malkin)表示：「商用與住宅建築是全球城市碳足跡(carbon footprint)總量的主要來源，在紐約市則超過70%。多數新建物在建造時皆考慮環境因素，但真正永續發展的關鍵，則是減少現有建築能源的使用量與其碳足跡。」
在審核超過60件合適方案後，該團隊決定了其中8件在翻修整棟建築時，其經濟層面也可行的計畫。升級電力與通風系統與整修租賃辦公室，將在環境與財務方面均提供可觀的回饋與收益。
計畫一開始估計將花費2000萬美元，在建築升級計畫中進一步節省開支與重新分配原本計畫的費用，加上額外的辦公室租賃設備，帝國大廈每年將省下440萬美元的能源費用，減少其能源使用量達到40%，大約三年即可賺回淨支出額，並減少所有的碳排放。
工程預定在18個月後完工，屆時將省下該工程投注能源的50%以上。辦公租賃工程的平衡與節約能源的平衡則預計在2013年底達成。
完整的分析過程可在esbsustainability.com與 esbnyc.com網站取得供民眾使用的公開資源。
這八項計畫分別為：
- 窗戶光源翻修：重新拋光約6500片隔熱玻璃窗，運用現有的玻璃與窗框創造擁有三層玻璃的隔熱版，並使用新的元件以減少夏季的熱承載與冬季的熱散失。
- 暖氣阻絕翻修：在暖氣機的背後加裝隔熱裝置，以減少熱能散失，更有效地為建築暖房。
- 辦公室照明、日光照明與插座升級：在公共區域與租賃空間引進改良的照明設計，日光照明控制設施，與插座負載量感應器，以減少電力成本與冷卻負載。
- 空氣調節更換：以變頻驅動風扇取代現有空調組件，讓能源使用效率增加的同時，也可改善辦公室的舒適度。
- 水冷主機翻修：利用現有的水冷架構，移除並取代原有零件已改進水冷效率與操作性，包含引進變頻驅動裝置。
- 升級全建築控制系統：升級現有的建築控制系統，最佳化HVAC(Heat, Ventilation, Air Condition)運作，同時提供更詳盡的次級監控資訊。
- 升級通風控制：在狹窄的空間加裝強制通風控制系統，以改善空氣品質，並減少改善外界空氣所需的能源。
- 辦公室能源管理系統：為每位辦公人員引進個人化、以網路為基礎的電力使用系統，以提供更有效率的能源使用管理系統。
Using the Empire State Building as a test case and model, environmental consulting, nonprofit, design and construction partners Monday unveiled an innovative process for analyzing and retrofitting existing structures for environmental sustainability.
Partners in the endeavor include the Empire State Building Company, the Clinton Climate Initiative, the Rocky Mountain Institute, Johnson Controls Inc. and Jones Lang LaSalle.
Adopted as core elements of the $500 million upgrade program now underway at the world's most famous office building, the program is the first comprehensive approach that integrates many steps to use energy more productively.
The program is expected to reduce energy consumption by up to 38 percent in the 102-story building at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street and will provide a replicable model for similar projects around the world. Work has already begun, and building systems work is scheduled for completion by year-end 2010.
"Commercial and residential buildings account for the majority of the total carbon footprint of cities around the world - over 70 percent in New York City" said Anthony Malkin of building owner of the Empire State Building Company. "Most new buildings are built with the environment in mind, but the real key to substantial progress is reducing existing building energy consumption and carbon footprint," he said.
In reviewing more than 60 possible actions, the team identified eight economically viable projects in building-wide renovations, electrical and ventilation system upgrades and tenant space overhauls that will provide a significant return on investment, both environmentally and financially.
With an initial estimated project cost of $20 million, additional savings and redirection of expenditures originally planned in the building's upgrade program, and additional alternative spending in tenant installations, the Empire State Building will save $4.4 million in annual energy savings costs, reduce its energy consumption by close to 40 percent, repay its net extra cost in about three years, and cut its overall carbon output.
Work that is scheduled to be completed within 18 months will result in over 50 percent of the projected energy savings. The balance of the work in tenant spaces and the balance of energy savings should be complete by the end of 2013.
The full analysis process is available online as open-source materials for public use at www.esbsustainability.com and www.esbnyc.com.
The eight key initiatives are:
- Window Light Retrofit: Refurbishment of approximately 6,500 thermopane glass windows, using existing glass and sashes to create triple-glazed insulated panels with new components that reduce summer heat load and winter heat loss.
- Radiator Insulation Retrofit: Added insulation behind radiators to reduce heat loss and more efficiently heat the building perimeter.
- Tenant Lighting, Daylighting and Plug Upgrades: Introduction of improved lighting designs, daylighting 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 with variable frequency drive fans to allow increased energy efficiency in operation while improving comfort for individual tenants.
- Chiller Plant Retrofit: Reuse of existing chiller shells while removing and replacing components 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 provide more detailed sub-metering 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 p ower usage.
