Sears Tower to Undergo Environmental Retrofit-

The Sears Tower in Chicago, measuring an astounding 1,450 feet, will be given a $350 million green retrofit to turn the 110 story structure into a sustainable, conservational place of business. The project plans require the tower to decrease energy utilization by 80 percent and water consumption by 40 percent. To achieve these goals, title-holder American Landmark Properties and associates plan on exchanging the structure’s 16,000 tinted single pane windows to form a thermal break between the building’s interior and Chicago’s freezing winters/ hot summers. The property company also plans on investing in natural gas boilers equipped with fuel cells to produce electricity, installing solar panels for electricity and water heating, refurbishing the tower’s 104 elevators and 15 escalators to cut their electricity use by 40 percent, installing light dimmer systems which automatically lower light based on accessible natural light, replacing bathroom fixtures with a condensation capture system to preserve 24 million gallons of water, transplanting intensive green roofs to diminish storm runoff, possibly installing wind turbines on roofs and, lastly, replacing granite walls surrounding the tower with landscaped park space, glass storefronts and an interactive LED digital display. The building owners are also planning to construct an adjoining hotel that is LEED certified. “We hope to set a benchmark for how high-rise buildings throughout the world can limit their impact on the environment,” said architect Adrian Smith in a statement. Due to a new arrangement with international insurance broker Willis Group Holdings, the tower is set to be re-named the Willis Tower later this summer. It appears that the green energy revolution has affected just about every state in the nation; it is exciting to think about what developments will sprout up next.