New York, NY - U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu was in New York today for the graduation of 1,000 green buildings superintendents and resident managers from the 32BJ-Thomas Shortman Green Supers training program. The Green Supers graduation, which took place at 32BJ headquarters in lower Manhattan, was hosted by Realty Advisory Board President Howard Rothschild and 32BJ President Mike Fishman and attended by real estate industry executives and hundreds of building superintendents who are already making New York City's buildings more energy efficient.

"Green Supers is a win-win for building owners, resident and tenants, and just about everyone," said Mike Fishman. "It's the type of program we need to turn the Big Apple green and other cities too. And that's why it should be expanded to more building workers - here in New York and in cities across the country."

Green Supers, which has been expanded with a $3 million US Department of Labor grant as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, is approved by the U.S. Green Building Council and the Building Performance Institute. The 32BJ-Thomas Shortman Training Fund's program is a 40 hour class that provides building service workers with the latest, state-of-the-art practices in energy efficient operations. The curriculum trains workers to identify and address energy waste, create a green operating plan and perform cost-benefit analysis for building owners and managers.

"With most building service workers employed at RABOLR buildings and represented by 32BJ, this labor-management program aims to give tens of thousands of workers the skills they need to reduce waste and costs while increasing energy efficiency at buildings across the city," said Howard Rothschild, President of the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations (RABOLR) - which represents building owners and managers in New York City.

Energy savings from buildings is the lowest-cost method of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, according to the consulting firm McKinsey & Company. In addition, greener buildings could save the New York real estate industry as much as $230 million a year in operating expenses.

"As a full-fledged professional development program, Green Supers is providing new opportunities to our employees by promoting low-cost green alternatives to reduce operating costs and help protect the environment," said James O'Connor, President of Douglas Elliman.

With a growing demand for greener buildings, smarter management practices could reduce energy use in buildings by twenty to forty percent, according to a report from the Department of Energy.

"32BJ has achieved something amazing," said Russell Unger, Executive Director of Urban Green Council, U.S. Green Building Council of New York." They looked ahead to a changing market and greener city, set ambitious targets and created a cutting-edge training program. The whole city will benefit as 32BJ's members apply their knowledge to increase energy and water efficiency, improve indoor air quality, and provide New Yorkers with the range of benefits that come from green buildings and operations."

When Green Supers launched, Mayor Bloomberg described the program as "a smart, practical and effective way to help make the Big Apple Green" and a "a low-cost way to make our buildings more energy and cost efficient, and our environment cleaner, all while saving our city millions of dollars."

"With Green Supers, apartment owners can save thousands of dollars in yearly operating costs and enjoying greener buildings," said Mary Ann Rothman, Executive Director of the Council of New York Cooperatives & Condominiums.

The Green Supers curriculum combines classes and field exercises with elective courses, including renewable technologies, green roofs and water reuse.

"As a building superintendent, I know first-hand that the Green Supers helps building workers save money and reduce energy waste and protect the environment for all New Yorkers," said Victor Nazario, a 32BJ member and Resident Manager.

To date, more than 1,000 supers and resident managers from New York City have completed the program. Thomas Shortman expects to train 1,000 more building service workers by the end of the year.

"By learning how to air seal a building, improve heating and air conditioning performance and reduce overall energy use in a building's common areas, graduates can achieve substantial savings at their buildings," said Linda Nelson, Director of the Thomas Shortman Training Fund.

Green Supers is a program of the Thomas Shortman Training Fund - a labor management partnership that offers training to more than 80,000 32BJ union members working in the property services industry. The Fund's programs provide 150,000 hours of industry, academic, and computer courses at over 20 locations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. The Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations (RABOLR) is a multi-employer association serving the real estate industry in New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Connecticut and Northern New Jersey. With more than 120,000 members in eight states, including 70,000 in New York, 32BJ is the largest property services union in the country.

Ellen Honigstock has been profiled on the New York House Magazine website. Ellen, a champion for Green Buildings in NYC, teaches multiple subjects to 32BJ superintendents, including Quantifying Energy Use, Building Science, Building Envelope, and Indoor Environmental Quality.

Michael Wolfe, President of 2007's NYARM Management Company of the Year - Midboro Management, is one of the most active supporters of green operations and maintenance in New York City. Just sending his superintendents through the 1,000 Green Supers program is not enough for him. He decided that he wanted to shadow one of the classes and blog about his experience. Over the next three weeks Michael will be posting what he learns for Habitat Magazine.

Day 1: October 22nd, 2009
Day 2: October 29th, 2009
Day 3: November 5th, 2009

Rachel Cernansky is covering the 1,000 Green Supers program in a post at the Planet Green blog.

New York television station NY1 profiled the launching of the 1 Year:1,000 Green Supers this past Friday, Sept. 25th. A different profile was run on NY1 sister channel NY1 Noticias.

David Roth at GreenBuildingsNYC discusses the implications of 1 Year: 1,000 Green Supers and how training can transform the entire profession of building superintendent to meet the needs of an energy efficient New York City.

Frank Lovece of Habitat Magazine profiles the 1,000 Green Superintendents program for an upcoming issue.

Columbia University is on the forefront of the national effort to make our large buildings green. As part of their institution wide sustainability effort they have signed on to participate in 32BJ's 1,000 Green Supers program. In a recent publication Columbia profiled the 32BJ initiative and a residential superintendent who has participated in the program.