“Magic City” usually congers images of white fedoras, palm trees and mid-century art deco glamour. But now the city is taking steps towards a more futuristic aesthetic and responsible image, starting with the iconic Miami Tower. The 47-story building recently received a complete outdoor LED lighting retrofit, which cloaks the entire exterior surface in color changing LED lights. The old system consisted of 382 metal halide fixtures, which each used 1,000 watts of energy per hour and displayed only a few fixed color combinations. The new energy efficient system is expected to drop lighting-related energy consumption by 92 percent, saving building operators and tenants $260,000 per year and reducing carbon emissions by 1.2 million pounds. Furthermore, the dynamic capabilities of the of RGB LED lights will make creating a diverse array of holiday and promotional displays easy and quick; the new fixtures are controllable using an iPhone app and can display 16 million colors and hundreds of effects.

The LED lighting retrofit is one of many sustainable changes in the works for Miami Tower, as it strives towards LEEDS certification. Ty Spearing, managing director at LaSalle Investment Management, the building’s owner, said in a statement, “Our goal is to re-establish Miami Tower as a leader in technology, architecture and design, environmental sustainability, and on-site amenities; all of which Miami’s top tenants demand.”

It’s good to see the magic of sustainable design and LED lighting taking hold in yet another of the nation’s great cities. Welcome aboard, Miami!

Thanks to Globe St. for the quotes and image.