UNITED NATIONS (Reuters)-The United nations is encouraging its New York staff to trade wool business suit for cooler clothing this summer so the organization can reduce air conditioning costs and help the environment.
“There is going to be a relaxing of the dress code and people are being encouraged to wear lighter clothing,” said US architect Michael Adlerstein, who is overseeing (监视) a $ 1. 8 billion renovation (革新) of the 60-year-old UN skyscraper.
Adlerstein said about $100,000 would be saved by turning the temperature up 5 degrees to 77 Fahrenheit (25 Celsius) in the UN secretariat building and to 75 F (24 C) in conference rooms, during a trial run in the hot month of August.
It would also help the environment in New York City, he said, About 4,400 million pounds of steam-equal to several hundred tons of carbon dioxide (CO2)---would be saved by reducing air conditioning at the Manhattan building.
He said staff were being encouraged to put off their dark suits and switch to lighter business casual clothing, Adlerstein was wearing a white shirt with neither jacket nor tie as he addressed reporters at UN headquarters.
“I don’t want to get involved in the fashion police of determining exactly what people can wear, but the encouragement of business casual is where we are going,” he said.
If the trial is a success, the temperature will be turned down 5 degrees in winter. The year-round changes could save up to $1 million annually, Adlerstein said.
Japanese diplomats will likely have an easy time making the change, In 2005, Japan launched a “Cool Biz” campaign encouraging people to dress down in summer to reduce air conditioning use and greenhouse gas emissions (排放).