As managers continue their efforts to improve the energy efficiency of their facilities, the spotlight is falling on those that continue to struggle — especially those that are high profile.
Trump Tower, the office and residential condo tower where the Trump Organization has its headquarters in New York, is one such facility. The building earned an Energy Star score of 44, which is 30 percent below the median, according to energy data released by the city. An Energy Star score is based on a formula developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to evaluate energy efficiency while taking into account extenuating factors such as property type and a building’s occupancy density.
The building's poor performance arose during discussion of legislation that would require buildings to install energy-efficient systems, according to Crain’s New York.
The Trump Organization owns the roughly 300,000-square-foot office component in Trump Tower. Most of the building consists of individually owned condos. The Trump Organization manages the residential space. A spokeswoman from the organization did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Other energy measures show the 58-story tower is a conspicuous consumer of power and is likely lacking green systems, including HVAC equipment and insulated windows that could reduce its energy load. According to city data, the building consumed 208,000 Btu per square foot last year, almost 68 percent more than the median figure. It produced 7.2 metric tons of greenhouse gases per square foot, nearly 40 percent above the median.
Cutting emissions from buildings has become a priority for the city, which aims to reduce its carbon footprint by 80 percent by 2050. Energy consumption from buildings accounts for about 70 percent of the city's greenhouse-gas production. The City Council bill would require buildings to become significantly more energy efficient by 2024 and put the city on track to curb carbon emissions from buildings by 40 percent by 2030.
Ryan Berlin is managing editor of Facility Maintenance Decisions.
