The Empire State Building is associated with the color green primarily for two reasons:
- Sustainability and Energy Efficiency: The building has undergone extensive retrofitting to become a model of energy efficiency and sustainability. It uses advanced technologies like energy-recapturing elevators and energy-efficient lighting, reducing its carbon footprint. It has been called a leader in sustainability, demonstrating the economic viability of investing in energy efficiency even for a historic skyscraper. Its lighting systems have been upgraded to use LED lights which consume significantly less power and support dynamic green lighting displays.
- Green Lighting for Symbolic and Special Occasions: The building lights up green on particular occasions such as Earth Day to raise awareness about environmental care. It also lights up green for events or themes symbolized by green, such as The Great Gatsby's green light or, in some cases, sports celebrations. The color green in the lighting is often a deliberate choice to symbolize sustainability, nature, or iconic references.
Therefore, the Empire State Building is "green" both as a physical symbol and a statement of its environmental sustainability initiatives as well as for specific events or celebrations where green lighting is used symbolically.
