London's Tower Bridge joins list of energy retrofits on iconic structures

Vatican City, the Empire State Building, and the Sydney Opera House have all employed low-energy solutions in one form or another in recent years. “High profile projects can highlight the importance of retrofitting and cause people to think about installing renewable energy systems on the micro level,” says John Alker, director of policy at the UK Green Building Council.
Feb. 22, 2012

Vatican City, the Empire State Building, and the Sydney Opera House have all employed low-energy solutions in one form or another in recent years. “High profile projects can highlight the importance of retrofitting and cause people to think about installing renewable energy systems on the micro level,” says John Alker, director of policy at the UK Green Building Council.

While retrofits of historic structures require sensitivity, particularly to building façades, improving insulation, replacing windows, and making air conditioning more efficient usually have negligible impact on aesthetics. Tower Bridge in London is one of the latest iconic retrofit projects. The 100-year old span will be outfitted with an LED lighting system that will reduce energy consumption by 40%.

(http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/07/world/famous-buildings-retrofit/index.html?hpt=wo_t4)

About the Author

Drew Ballensky

Drew Ballensky is general manager of Duro-Last Roofing, Inc.’s central U.S. facility in Iowa and company spokesman for Duro-Last’s cool roofing, sustainability and architectural education programs. He is past-president of the Chemical Fabrics and Film Association and chairman of CFFA’s Vinyl Roofing Division. Drew earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from the University of Northern Iowa and master’s degree in business administration from Florida State University. Drew has over 29 years experience in business and industry in various engineering and managerial capacities. He has worked in the U.S. and Canadian operations for a major international manufacturer of pre-engineered steel buildings, was a financial analyst with a major athletic apparel manufacturer and was an owner of a general contracting company.
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