The Eiffel Tower Just Became A Little More Green. Here Are 8 Other Landmarks That Did It First

Two wind turbines have been successfully installed on the Eiffel Tower to offset some of the structure’s energy use, renewable energy company UGE and the public service authority in charge of the iconic landmark announced this week.

The two turbines, which were placed 400 feet above ground level, are expected to produce 10,000 kWh annually. This will offset the power used by commercial activities on the tower’s first floor, according to UGE. The project is part of a larger efficiency upgrade that also includes LED lighting and rooftop solar panels on a visitor pavilion.

The Eiffel Tower might be lighting a greener path in Paris, but there are other landmarks in cities around the world that have undergone updates to become more environmentally friendly. Here are eight of them:

The White House

President Jimmy Carter famously had solar panels added to the White House roof in 1979. The panels, which were intended to heat water, were removed after Ronald Reagan took office. With little fanfare, the George W. Bush administration installed the White House’s first active solar electric system in 2002. President Barack Obama installed another set of panels in 2014.

Vatican City

Solar Panels were installed on the roof of the 6,300-seat Paul VI Audience Hall in the Vatican in 2008. During his papacy, Benedict XVI made calls for greater environmental protection, and his successor, Pope Francis, has acknowledged manmade climate change and lamented a “culture of waste.”

London’s Tower Bridge

In 2012, London upgraded the lights on its iconic Tower Bridge to more energy-efficient LEDs. “The spectacular view of Tower Bridge from my office in City Hall is one of my favourites in London,” London Mayor Boris Johnson said in a 2011 statement announcing the project. “It’s fantastic to now be able to crack on with this work to make it even better, brighter and greener and at no cost to the taxpayer.”

The Empire State Building

New York City’s Empire State Building underwent a significant renovation in 2009 that included retrofitting the skyscraper to be more energy efficient. It received LEED Gold certification in 2011, making it the tallest LEED-certified building in the United States. The building’s retrofit reduced energy consumption by an estimated 38 percent, and put it in the top 25 percent of the most energy-efficient U.S. office buildings.

Berlin’s Reichstag Building

Built in the late nineteenth century, the home of Germany’s parliament was damaged in a 1933 fire and by allied bombing during World War II. It fell into disuse after the war, but a rebuilding was completed in 1999 and it once again hosts the legislature of a unified Germany. Along with a glass dome that lets in natural light, the building has a biofuel-powered combined heat and power system that produces about 80 percent of the building’s electricity and 90 percent of its heat.

George Washington Bridge

In 2009, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey finished upgrading the George Washington Bridge’s light “necklace” to energy efficient LEDs. The Port Authority estimated that the upgrade would cut 260,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

Rio de Janeiro’s Christ The Redeemer Statue

LED lights have illuminated Rio’s famous mountaintop statue of Christ since 2011.

Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House has implemented several steps to improve the facility’s sustainability, including more efficient air conditioners and lighting, along with a cooling system that uses seawater and saves millions of gallons of drinking water annually.

Decide if the following statements are true or false, please.

1.    Wind turbines have been installed on the Eiffel Tower so that it could be illuminated with green lights.

2.    The turbines produce enough energy for the commercial centre in the Eiffel Tower.

3.    There have been rooftop solar panels on the White House since Jimmy Carter.

4.    Pope Francis recognised in a public speech the pollution has been caused by humans.

5.    The lights on the Tower Bridge have been replaced to provide a better view for the mayor.

6.    He claims that he is especially fond of these new lights because it doesn’t cost money to keep them up.

7.    The Empire State Building’s solar panels can produce all the energy the building needs.

8.    In the Reichstag, there are no lamps because the glass dome lets in enough natural light.

9.    The cooling system in the Sydney Opera House doesn’t use drinking water.

Key:

1.    false

2.    true

3.    false

4.    true

5.    false

6.    true

7.    false

8.    false

9.    true