The Willis Tower is currently undergoing a more than $500 million renovation that will transition it from an office building into a neighborhood that delivers life and work experiences.
As part of this evolution, Willis Tower, under LEED’s latest v4.1 rating system, has become the largest building in the United States to earn LEED Platinum certification.
In partnership with Rivion, a Wisconsin-based energy consulting firm, EQ, a U.S. office portfolio company wholly owned by Blackstone's real estate funds, improved the building's environmental quality through a number of building enhancements, including:
— Revamping the heating and cooling (HVAC) system through the installation of state-of-the-art technologies, allowing the Tower to heat and cool more efficiently, which is expected to reduce energy consumption by up to 20 percent.
— Reducing heating water energy consumption by replacing electric hot-water generators with natural gas hot-water boilers.
— Upgrading the building's lighting control system and installing energy-efficient LED lights.
— Installing low-flow high-efficiency sink faucets, toilets and urinals, which is expected to cut approximately 30 percent of the building's water consumption (11 million gallons annually).
Â
The driving force behind the Tower's transformation is Blackstone and EQ's mission to create sustainable experiences and make smart choices that improve the space and environment around its properties.
These values are noticeable in the Tower's new 125,000 square feet of tenant-exclusive amenities, as well as the addition of Catalog, the 300,000 square foot retail, dining and entertainment experience at the base of Willis Tower and the soon-to-open 30,000 square foot outdoor deck and garden.
Related Stories
| Sep 14, 2011
Empire State Building achieves LEED Gold ?
The 2.85 million-sf building is celebrating its 80th anniversary while nearing completion of its renewal and repurposing to meet the needs of 21st Century businesses.
| Sep 12, 2011
Construction waste management
Best practices for an environmentally optimized job site.
| May 25, 2011
Low Impact Development: Managing Stormwater Runoff
Earn 1.0 AIA/CES HSW/SD learning units by studying this article and successfully passing the online exam.
| May 25, 2011
Smithsonian building $45 million green lab
Thanks to a $45 million federal appropriation to the Smithsonian Institution, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Md., has broken ground on what is expected to be one of the most energy-efficient laboratories in the country. The 69,000-sf lab is targeting LEED Gold and is expected to use 37% less energy and emit 37% less carbon dioxide than a similar building.
| May 20, 2011
Chicago leads the nation in LEED-certified square footage
The U.S. Green Building Council reports that Chicago has the highest number of square feet of LEED-certified green building projects nationally with 71 million square feet. Â
| May 18, 2011
Eco-friendly San Antonio school combines history and sustainability
The 113,000-sf Rolling Meadows Elementary School in San Antonio is the Judson Independent School District’s first sustainable facility, with green features such as vented roofs for rainwater collection and regionally sourced materials.
| May 16, 2011
USGBC and AIA unveil report for greening K-12 schools
The U.S. Green Building Council and the American Institute of Architects unveiled "Local Leaders in Sustainability: A Special Report from Sundance," which outlines a five-point national action plan that mayors and local leaders can use as a framework to develop and implement green schools initiatives.
| May 16, 2011
Virtual tour: See U.S. Green Building Council’s new LEED Platinum HQ—and earn CE credits
A virtual tour of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Platinum HQ is available. The tour features embedded videos, audio podcasts, and information on building materials and products used throughout the space. By taking the virtual tour, professionals can earn GBCI Continuing Education hours for the LEED AP with specialty and LEED Green Associate credentials.
| May 16, 2011
Seattle unveils program to boost building efficiency
Seattle launched a new program that will help commercial property owners and managers assess and improve building energy efficiency. Under the program, all commercial and multifamily buildings larger than 10,000 sq. ft. will be measured for their energy performance using the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.
