Sustainable Shoptalk Series: Legally Green
December 3, 2009
Getting Legally Greener Write-up
Building operations produce 79% of New York City's carbon footprint and the time has come for that to change. Anticipating passage of New York City's Greener, Greater Buildings Legislation, Legally Green, a Sustainability Shoptalk event, assembled a team of energy efficiency all-stars.
At this conference, speakers looked down the road toward complying with the new laws and then beyond compliance to achieving an energy efficient competitive edge. Legally Green was co-sponsored by the Newman Real Estate Institute, Baruch College, CUNY and the Sallan Foundation. Since Legally Green was a standing room-only morning, it's clear that the topic and the timing were just right.
Jack Nyman, Director of the Newman Real Estate Institute started the morning by spelling out what's at stake for all New Yorkers.
Rohit Aggarwala, Director of the Mayor's Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability led off with on overview of the City's legislation and insight into the politics of getting to yes.
Sustainability Shoptalk Series Legally Green Participants Mingle
Jack S. Nyman, Director of The Newman Real Estate Institute, Opening Remarks
Rohit T. Aggarwala, NYC Mayor's Office for Long-term Planning and Sustainability
Panel (1) Road to Compliance Moderated by Kenneth M. Block, Esq.
From left, Kenneth M. Block, Esq., Bruce S. Schlein and Ariella Rosenberg Maron
Legally Green Panel (1) Floor Opens to Q&A
Legally Green (1) Panelists Ariella Rosenberg Maron and Bruce S. Schlein Respond
Sallan's Executive Director, Nancy Anderson Moderates Panel (2) Beyond Compliance
From left, Alice Cook, Paul Rode, Theddi Wright Chappell & Mayur Sabbarao
Legally Green (2) Extended Q&A
Panel One: The Road to Compliance
Turning to leading public and private sector experts the focus shifted to the practical side of making green a reality.
The first speaker, Ariella Rosenberg Maron, from the Department of Citywide Administrative Services laid out how City government is leading by example to make its building portfolio energy efficient. The second speaker, Michael Bobker, Director of the CUNY Building Performance Lab, clarified what to expect from energy performance benchmarking and the third presenter, Adam Hinge, a consulting energy engineer made a compelling case for both the need and the challenge of monitoring and measuring building energy performance. The fourth panelist, Bruce S. Schlein, the Citigroup Vice President for Corporate Responsibility, detailed a financial sector perspective on calculating the value of energy improvements and how to pay for them.
The first panel was moderated by Kenneth M. Block, Esq., Partner of Tannenbaum Halpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP
Panel Two: Beyond Compliance
Turning to issues beyond compliance, Alice Cook from Time Equities shed light on the experience of an owner seeking the best way to do an energy upgrade on its property portfolio.
Paul Rode of Johnson Controls provided real numbers from real projects, relaying his engineering experience with 'greening' the iconic Empire State Building and upcoming projects. Theddi Wright Chappell, of Cushman & Wakefield, by using a different set of real numbers, explained the principles of underwriting and valuation and applied them to green, high performance building.
The final presentation, by the Executive Vice President for the Sustainability Profit Group, Mayur Subbarao, Esq. examined financing obstacles to making existing buildings energy efficient and explored emerging finance strategies to solve new challenges.
Sallan's Executive Director, Nancy Anderson moderated the second panel.
Event Resources
The Steven L. Newman Real Estate Institute and the Sallan Foundation half-day conference, Legally Green, what property owners need to know about The Greener, Greater Buildings Plan. Panel participants and links to participant presentations for download in PDF format are listed below in order of appearance.
Part I
Welcoming Remarks
Jack S. Nyman, Director
The Steven L. Newman Real Estate Institute
The Greener, Greater Buildings Plan
Rohit T. Aggarwala, Director of Long Term Strategic Planning
New York City Mayor's Office for Long-term Planning and Sustainability
Panel: The Road to Compliance
Moderated by Kenneth M. Block, Esq., Partner
Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP
Download NYC's Greener Greater Building Plan Becomes Law
City of New York Leading by Example
Ariella Rosenberg Maron, Deputy Commissioner of Energy Management
New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services
Download City Of New York: Leading By Example
Benchmarking: What's Involved?
Michael Bobker, Director, Building Performance Lab
CUNY Institute for Urban Systems
Download How to Benchmark
Building Energy Performance Measurement and Metrics
Adam Hinge, Managing Director
Sustainable Energy Partnerships
Download Building Energy Performance Measuement & Metrics
Financing Energy Efficiency: Challenges & Opportunities
Bruce S. Schlein, Vice President, Corporate Responsibility
Citigroup
Download Financing Energy Efficiency
Panel Q & A
Part II
Panel: Beyond Compliance
Moderated by Nancy E. Anderson, PhD
Executive Director, the Sallan Foundation
Time Equities, Inc.: Energy Management and Retrofits
Alice Cook, Director of Sustainability
Time Equities, Inc.
Case Studies of High-Performance Retrofits
Paul Rode, Business Development Director
Johnson Controls Inc.
Download Industry Needs
The Green Value Trifecta
Theddi Wright Chappell, Green Building & Sustainability Practice, Valuation & Advisory Services
Cushman & Wakefield of Washington, Inc.
Download The Green Value Trifecta
Project Finance Strategies for Implementing Energy Efficiency Retrofits and Installations
Mayur Sabbarao, Esq., Executive Vice President
Sustainability Profit Group
Download Financing Strategies for Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings
Panel Q & A
Concluding Remarks
Jack S. Nyman, Director
The Steven L. Newman Real Estate Institute
Event Video
Leagally Green (2009) Event Video
Direct link to Part I video Last accessed on November 11, 2019
Legally Green: What You Need To Know About Your Property and The Greener, Greater Buildings Plan (Part 1)
Direct link to Part II video Last accessed on November 11, 2019
Legally Green: What You Need To Know About Your Property and The Greener, Greater Buildings Plan (Part 2)
