When looking at the Philadelphia skyline, the giant ticker across the top of the PECO building is hard to miss. But, what you may not know, is that the area above holds a 45,000 square-foot green roof – and it could soon save you money.
PECO Energy Company, which serves 1.6 million households in southeastern Pennsylvania, has been working to help its customers to conserve energy, and save a few bucks in the process.
The Center City green space is part of their "Path to Clean" program, which aims to replace PECO vehicles with hybrid and electric cars, and make all of their buildings as eco-friendly as possible.
Senior Vice President Liz Murphy told NBC10's Tim Furlong their green roof alone – that essentially looks as a rooftop park – saves about 1.5 million gallons of rainwater runoff a year.
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“We’ve made a commitment to reduce our emissions by 50 percent by 2030, and we'll be net zero by 2050,” Murphy said.
In addition to their push to reduce emissions, PECO launched their "ReLeaf" program, designed to re-plant a tree after they cut one down. The goal of the program is to add as much foliage back to the area as possible, which will in turn reduce energy usage.
The trees also provide much needed shade to "heat islands" throughout Philadelphia.
Green
PECO has a list of ways they are aiming to deliver clean and affordable energy to its customers. It also shows businesses and homeowners how they can do their part to help the environment, from solar panels to electric cars.
"Energy is such a critical part of our future," Murphy said. "And, for PECO, it's making sure that it's clean and affordable, and that we are really providing a clean, a brighter and affordable future for our customers in our communities."
