You can imagine any 110-story tower would have a big impact on the earth, but soon the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere will be eco-friendly. The Sears Tower, which is about to be renamed the Willis Tower for the insurance company that now resides there, will get a $350 million green-over that will reduce energy use by 80 percent and save 24 million gallons of water each year. That’s a pretty impressive improvement considering the skyscraper already meets LEED standards.

The plans include new windows that will control the indoor climate despite the diverse Chicago seasons, gas boilers equipped with fuel cells to generate electricity, new energy efficient elevators and escalators, new water-saving restroom fixtures, a condensation recovery system to recycle water, lighting that dims according to daylight conditions, solar panels to heat water, wind turbines and a green roof. Whew!

Besides being an example of green changes, the building will be home to a Sustainable Technology Learning Center, that can teach others to make green changes, too. The center will help visitors learn how to save money and be more eco-friendly at the same time. With the Empire State Building announcing similar green renovations earlier this year, perhaps this is a new trend in landmark skyscrapers.

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