NEW YORK—Ready to help New York City conserve energy, one thousand building superintendents and resident managers graduated from the 32BJ-Thomas Shortman Green Supers training program on Monday. Funded with federal stimulus money, the program garnered attention from U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, who attended the graduation ceremony.
“You are essentially the front line to cut energy waste, to cut energy bills, to make New York City and the world a healthy place to live. You will go a long way in helping your buildings, your city, your country save money, save energy, and all that goes right back into the economy and creates still more jobs,” Secretary Chu said.
NYC’s buildings account for about two-thirds of its energy consumption and 77 percent of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. The city’s buildings spend $13.4 billion annually in energy costs.
“Research has shown that by using current technology, buildings can reduce cost without making any major capital improvements,” said Howard Rothschild, the president of the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations.
The five-week, 40-hour training program instructs supers on identifying and fixing energy waste problems in their buildings. According to PlaNYC’s research, implementing techniques from this program can save building energy by 20-40 percent, and cut energy bills by 5 to 30 percent.
While most members took the course on their company’s time, a few individuals took time from their own schedules to complete the training.
Rothschild said that not all superintendents were eager to leave their buildings for long hours to start this training at first, but the program has proven to be a success.
Garth Chester Realty superintendent Luis Cruz said that even after 26 years of working as a building superintendent, the program was extremely educational.
“You are essentially the front line to cut energy waste, to cut energy bills, to make New York City and the world a healthy place to live. You will go a long way in helping your buildings, your city, your country save money, save energy, and all that goes right back into the economy and creates still more jobs,” Secretary Chu said.
NYC’s buildings account for about two-thirds of its energy consumption and 77 percent of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. The city’s buildings spend $13.4 billion annually in energy costs.
“Research has shown that by using current technology, buildings can reduce cost without making any major capital improvements,” said Howard Rothschild, the president of the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations.
The five-week, 40-hour training program instructs supers on identifying and fixing energy waste problems in their buildings. According to PlaNYC’s research, implementing techniques from this program can save building energy by 20-40 percent, and cut energy bills by 5 to 30 percent.
While most members took the course on their company’s time, a few individuals took time from their own schedules to complete the training.
Rothschild said that not all superintendents were eager to leave their buildings for long hours to start this training at first, but the program has proven to be a success.
Garth Chester Realty superintendent Luis Cruz said that even after 26 years of working as a building superintendent, the program was extremely educational.
