NEW YORK—The Empire State Building has been awarded LEED Gold for Existing Buildings certification as a result of its recent $550 million renovation. According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it is the tallest building in the U.S. to receive LEED certification. The renovation is designed to reduce the building's energy consumption by more than 38%, yielding a $4.4 million savings in energy costs annually. The improvements also reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 105,000 metric tons over 15 years. Sustainable measures implemented include retrofitting all 6,514 windows, upgrades to the building management system, and installation of reflective insulation behind all of the building's radiative barriers to redirect heat inward.
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