Jul 27 2010
The Empire State Building today unveiled a $2 million interactive, multi-media sustainability exhibit at the second floor visitor’s center, which showcases a $20 million energy retrofit project that was announced in April 2009 with President Bill Clinton and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
By communicating the compelling story of the building’s award-winning retrofit program under way, the installation aims to educate the millions of people who visit the building every year on the positive global impact of both energy efficient building and sustainable living practices. Upon completion of the program, the Empire State Building will reduce total energy usage by more than 38 percent, energy costs by $4.4 million annually, and carbon emissions by 105,000 metric tons over the next 15 years.
To bring the Empire State Building energy retrofit program to life, Seattle-based design firm Hornall Anderson was selected to create a tangible and engaging sustainability exhibit. This thought-provoking installation translates the technical retrofit story into an easy-to-understand, compelling consumer experience that introduces the topic of energy efficiency in the context of the Empire State Building, New York City, and the planet. The vibrant exhibit combines physical artifacts with impressive technology and seamlessly integrates digital and sculptural elements to create interactive museum-quality displays that educate and entertain visitors on their way to the renowned Observatories.
The sustainability exhibit captures the vision of the Empire State Building retrofit program.
“Last April, the Empire State Building announced our participation in a pioneering process for retrofitting existing structures for environmental sustainability. The process is aimed at reducing the Empire State Building’s energy consumption and environmental impact and provides a replicable model for commercial buildings around the world,” said Anthony E. Malkin, Empire State Building Company. He added, “The sustainability exhibit unveiled today at the visitor’s center was created to educate and inspire our millions of visitors on the energy retrofit process and the positive impact of commercial and personal sustainable practices.”
To develop the exhibit, the Hornall Anderson design team matched existing materials throughout the building to create a space that reflects the iconic character of the Empire State Building and its Art Deco heritage. 15 digital storytelling screens, 18 video players, and four projectors along with detailed visuals, statistics, and interactive screens guide visitors through the interactive and stylized exposition.
As visitors enter the exhibit, a transformational cube introduces the topic of sustainability. The cube illustrates and explains the harmful environmental impact of energy inefficient commercial buildings as well as the scope, vision and benefits of the sustainable global template in place at the Empire State Building. As visitors move through the exhibit they are educated on each of the eight major retrofit initiatives being implemented at the Empire State Building and exposed to statistics highlighting the positive dramatic environmental effects of the process. For example, one display demonstrates how energy consumption can be reduced by improving the massive systems that heat, cool and ventilate buildings. By communicating how many people making small changes in their everyday lives cause an impactful global change, visitors are educated on how to be energy efficient through opportunities in their life.
A mobile application program has additionally been developed to give visitors the option to retrieve more information following their visit to the building. To access the application, QR codes are displayed throughout the exhibit that when entered will reveal supplementary interactive, educational content.
The sustainability exhibit captures the vision of the Empire State Building retrofit program. In April 2009, the building along with the Clinton Climate Initiative, Johnson Controls, Jones Lang LaSalle, and the Rocky Mountain Institute announced details of the visionary global template aimed at reinventing the iconic landmark by bringing it up to contemporary environmental standards. The Empire State Building is leading the charge in innovation and setting the groundwork for existing buildings around the world to follow suit. Most recently, the Empire State Building has been recognized for this initiative being awarded a commercial building ENERGY STAR rating of 90 out of 100, as well as first place distinction by The Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC) in the 2009 SBIC Beyond Green Awards.
The Empire State Building sustainability exhibit is open seven days a week at the second floor visitor’s center during visiting hours from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Source: http://www.hornallanderson.com/