The city of New York has been committed to implementing sustainable building practices since 1997. Over the years, the city has made significant advances in greenhouse emissions reduction, energy saving, and in creating a healthier environment. Below is a selection of the most well-known green office buildings in New York City

 Hearst Tower

This office development is located in the vicinity of Columbus Circle and serves as the global headquarters of the Hearst Communications Group. The building is often referred to as the most environmentally friendly office building in the Green Apple. In 2012, it received two LEED Certifications: Gold for New Construction and Platinum for Sustainable Building Operations. Although the tower itself was built in 1928 with no special regard for sustainability, in 2006 it underwent a makeover led by prestigious architect Norman Foster, and soon after it received the Emporis Skyscraper award. Te tower’s sustainable features include low-toxicity furniture and paint, automatically regulated artificial light, innovative cooling and heating systems, the reuse of collected rainwater, and the use of recycled construction materials, which make up 85 percent of the building’s structure. Overall, Hearst Tower is 26 percent more energy efficient than a standard skyscraper.

One Bryant Park

Also known as the Bank of America Tower, this 51-story office building is often listed among the world’s most sustainable buildings of its kind. Construction was completed in 2010 and soon after the building received a LEED Platinum certification, becoming the first skyscraper to receive it in North America. Recent reconstruction efforts have focused on preserving certain architectural elements (such as the early 20th century facade) while adding advanced sustainable elements that improved the building’s overall green ratings. Green features include an innovative air filtration system, rooftop gardens that reuse compost produced at building’s eating venues, water reclamation systems, the installation of waterless urinals, and an ice cooling system that significantly reduces air conditioning usage.

They thought that they toppled the collective financial might of the United States of America. They thought that an act of terror would cause the United States to buckle and bow to a new master. But they forgot that the people of the United States bow to no one and, when those people band together, they can do anything they set their minds to.

September 11, 2001 is a date that Americans will never forget. It isn’t just the loss of life that makes the date stick in the minds of Americans, it is the audacity that Americans could be intimidated by anyone. One World Trade Center rises as a glass and metal testament to the resolve of the American people and a grand indication of the defiant nature that resides in every resident of the United States.

The Scale Is Massive

One World Trade Center is 1,250-feet tall, which is nearly a quarter of a mile in the air. It is the largest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere and it glistens in the New York City morning sunlight. The building is 124-stories tall, but 20 of those stories are underground and make up the massive foundation of this building. It too 10,000 workers 12 years to move 48,000 tons of steel and nearly 13,000 panels of reinforced glass into place. It is a massive structure that stands high above the New York City skyline.

10. GE Building
The GE building is located in Midtown Manhattan, and is considered an art deco masterpiece. It is located specifically at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, which has led to it being referred to “30 Rock” colloquially. The building is 850 feet tall, and is the 33rd tallest building in the entire United States. It is most famously the home of the television network NBC, and it has been featured prominently in many television shows and movies throughout the years.

9. Trump World Tower
Trump World Tower is a residential building, and it stands as the tallest all-residential building in both the city of New York and the United States as a whole. It is listed as the 79th tallest building in the world, and was widely opposed by many officials and television commentators in the lead-up to its construction. It has 72 floors, but there are 90 floor buttons on the elevator panels.

8. 8 Spruce Street
The 8 Spruce Street building is also known as “New York by Gehry” after its architect Frank Gehry. The building is 870 feet tall, and is built with a unique glass/steel facade that resembles rippling water. 8 Spruce Street functions as a residential building, with 898 units being housed within its walls.

7. Citigroup Center
The Citigroup Center building is commonly referred to as simply “601 Lexington Avenue”, and was opened in 1977. An air of controversy surrounded the construction of the building when it was discovered that the building was constructed with an engineering flaw. Engineers did not account for “quartered” wind pressure, on the building, resulting in a 160% greater amount of pressure on joints than was intended.

6. 40 Wall Street
40 Wall Street is a 70 story skyscraper in Manhattan. The building was designed by H. Craig Severance, with construction being completed in 1930. One of the most interesting aspects of this building is that construction was completed after only 11 months. It was the tallest building in the world for only one month, when it was beaten out in height by the Chrysler Building.

5. American International Building
The American International Building was constructed in 1932 to serve as an office center. The building was constructed by the Cities Service Company with many design elements that are intended to portray the building as a snow-capped mountain. As a result, the building was originally known as the Cities Service Building, and has been the tallest building in the downtown area for much of the past 100 years.

4. New York Times Building
One of the youngest buildings in the New York City skyline, the New York Times Building is actually home to a number of different publishing companies. It also serves as an office center for other, non-publishing related businesses. Completed in 2007, the building cost $850 million. It has 52 floors, however some of the floors are taller than traditional floors to accommodate for retail space.

3. Chrysler Building
The Chrysler building was completed in 1930, and it is known as one of the largest examples of art deco that can be found in the world. It was the tallest building in the world in the 11 months between its completion and that of the Empire State Building. It was paid for entirely out of pocket by Walter Chrysler so that his children would inherit it after he died.

2. Bank of America Tower
The Bank of America Tower cost upwards of $1 billion to complete, and is one of the most uniquely designed buildings dominating the Manhattan skyline. After its completion in 2009, the tower was profiled on the National Geographic program “Megastructures”. In 2010, it was named the “Best Tall Building in the Americas” by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.

1. Empire State Building
The Empire State Building was the tallest building in New York City until the completion of the World Trade Center. After the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, the Empire State Building was once again the tallest building in New York. It is designed in the art deco style, and is considered a cultural icon of New York, which has bestowed “landmark” status to it.