When executives at Reckson, a division of SL Green Realty Corp., embarked on an ambitious plan to recycle cardboard and metal scrap in 2007, they quickly discovered other materials they could add.
Reckson, a commercial real estate owner, operator and developer with approximately 6 million square feet of Class A office space spread across 31 properties, expanded its recycling program to include carpet and ceiling tiles.
“We have recycled approximately 800,000 square feet combined, diverting over 225 tons of debris from landfill,” said Jason Black, director of architecture and sustainability for Reckson.
“What makes this an even greater accomplishment is not that in the total volume of projects, but that this process occurs repeatedly on all projects, including construction below 1,000 square feet and that we have been able to do this in a cost neutral manner,” said Black.
Black said he was hooked on recycling and sustainability programs from that point forward.
“We really took a step back and asked how we could improve our business,” said Black. “It was not a quick process. It was an evolution.”
The firm tackled a $1.4 million lighting retrofit at 21 of its properties last year in Fairfield and Westchester (New York) counties. Switching the older, three-lamp fixtures with two-lamp, modern lights saves the company $500,000 annually and emits 40 percent less light.
Reckson also spent $400,000 in mechanical upgrades that garner the company $170,000 a year in savings, said Black.
Although having a green initiative can help a business reduce expenses and boost worker productivity, employers should take their time developing sustainable programs that can help their business identify and eliminate waste, said Black.
“Too many people make the mistake of not asking questions or really taking the time to understand what sustainability is about,” said Black. “You need to do what makes sense to your business.”
Green experts suggest businesses that are new to recycling, conserving and reducing should look to the “low hanging fruit,” goals that are easy to identify, set and achieve.
Examples include water re-use, low-flow plumbing fixtures and HVAC monitoring systems, which help reduce costs and consumption. New lighting systems or monitor-sensor programs help conserve energy and reduce its electric bill.
Reckson stepped it up again when it installed a new 100-kilowatt photovoltaic solar roof panel system on top of its 121,000-square-foot office building at 500 West Putnam in Greenwich earlier this year.
The four-story building is the company’s first to undergo the upgrade, which is designed to deliver up to 50 percent of the building’s energy needs during peak performance, according to John Barnes, senior vice president and senior director for Reckson in Greenwich.
Barnes anticipates the new roof will provide approximately five percent of the property’s annual energy needs.
Over the next 30 years, the roof panels will offset more than six million pounds of carbon emissions, which is equivalent to planting 240 acres of trees or recycling 58,050,000 cans of soda or not driving 4.5 million miles in a car.
An upfront investment of 2 percent in green building design, on average, results in life cycle savings of 20 percent of the total construction costs — more than 10 times the initial investment. Building sale prices for energy efficient buildings are as much as 10 percent higher per square foot than conventional buildings.
“Start small and develop your initiatives over time. This will help create a strong foundation to build in on the years to come,” said Black.
“Work as a team and take your time to truly understand the sustainable initiatives,” he said.
“Understanding what makes most sense to your business and how to implement them properly will create a better approach to long-term success.”
In the United States, buildings account for: • 72% of electricity consumption • 39% of energy use • 38% of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions • 40% of raw materials use • 30% of waste output (136 million tons annually) • 14% of potable water consumption Source: U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
