United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that the organization's New York headquarters, currently undergoing its first major renovation in 50 years, will use fifty percent less energy when work is completed in 2012. The $2 billion renovation aims to make the 40-storey landmark headquarters safer, more efficient, greener and more modern. “The redesigned U.N. building will incorporate some of the most innovative design features to achieve greater efficiency and energy savings,” Ban told a regular monthly press conference.” These features include “a new high efficiency double glazed façade, improved heating, ventilation and lighting,” Ban said. We will no longer be living in what some have described as a large terrarium [and] total energy consumption of the UN headquarters will be reduced by more than 50 percent.” The building has shown its age in recent years with water dripping through its roof, toxic asbestos lining its ceiling tiles, no sprinklers in case of fire and erratic heating and cooling systems. From the end of this year, most of some 4,700 staff will be moved either into a temporary structure being built next to the headquarters or into rented premises in Manhattan.
