June 24, 2009 American Landmark Properties and the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) announced plans to transform the Sears Tower into a beacon of leadership for the green building movement. The project will employ a wide array of energy efficiency measures and create new best practices in green building construction and retrofits of existing buildings. The project's goal is to reduce the base energy usage of the Sears Tower, North America's tallest building, by 80 percent and achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum rating.
Retrofitting existing buildings to make them more energy-efficient will help to reduce pollution and our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, while creating thousands of labor and manufacturing jobs. Buildings are the largest users of primary energy in the United States. They represent 72% of all electricity consumption in the U.S.
"The Illinois Environmental Council supports private and public investments in projects that spur job creation and economic development here in Illinois, while helping to meet the challenge of global climate change," said Charles Jackson, IEC executive director. "The Sears Tower energy sustainability and environmental education project presents a tremendous opportunity for inspiring building owners and the public to aspire to the highest standards of energy-efficiency."
This project will advance IEC's mission, which is to advocate for sound environmental laws and policies and promote environmental best practices in the public and private sectors. The role of the IEC and its member organizations in the Sears Tower project will be to sponsor research to document the project's performance and impact. Also, IEC will engage the public and the building industry to raise awareness of the benefits of green development and the importance of meeting the challenge of global climate change. The public engagement effort will be accomplished in part through the development and management of an environmental education center at the Sears Tower. The Sears Tower is visited by millions annually.
