Following recent legislation requiring building emission reductions, 
FirstService aims to advise the industry on how to meet new requirements

NEW YORK (May 16, 2019) – On the heels of New York City’s recent legislation requiring emission reductions in many buildings, FirstService Residential and FirstService Energy announced that they will be hosting their annual Sustainability Expo to educate building owners, managers and board members on building-related energy and sustainability best practices as well as specifics on the Climate Mobilization Act. The expo will be held at FirstService’s New York Headquarters 622 Third Avenue on May 23 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
 
This event comes weeks after the “Climate Mobilization Act,” which was passed by New York’s City Council in April, with goals of slashing greenhouse gas emissions across the city. The city aims to reduce building emissions by 80 percent over the next 31 years, and will begin penalizing buildings that have not met certain emission reduction thresholds by 2024.
 
For building owners, managers and board members seeking to gain compliance with this legislation, the Sustainability Expo will create a forum to meet, discuss, and interact with industry efficiency and building science experts. The event will feature vendors as well as a panel discussion comprised of experts in the energy field, and will enable attendees to assess how their buildings compare to other properties in the New York City area.
 
“With the new regulations in place, it’s essential to be cognizant of the new standards that buildings will be required to adhere to by 2024, 2030 and beyond,” said Kelly Dougherty, Director of Energy Management at FirstService Energy. “While there are complexities involved in certain energy-saving retrofits, there are also many ‘simple’ projects building can make that will have a significant impact, including installing LED bulbs and reducing plug loads. Perhaps the most important thing for building stakeholders is to be proactive in understanding the energy benchmarks buildings will need to meet, and to work with their property managers to ensure that they have a master plan in place that will help them gain compliance within the appropriate timeframe.”
 
The panel session at the Expo will feature the following industry experts:
·      Kelly Dougherty – Director of Energy Management, FirstService Energy
·      Marc Zuluaga – Managing Director, Steven Winter Associates
·      Aaron Ordower – Assistant Director of Programs, NYC Mayor’s Office of Sustainability
·      Keith Werny – President of the City Line Division, FirstService Residential
·      Alan Burchell – Principal, Urban Strong
·      David Unger – CEO, Sentient Building Systems
 
About FirstService Residential
As North America’s largest manager of residential properties, FirstService Residential oversees more than 7,000 properties and 1.5 million residential units across 21 U.S. states and three provinces in Canada.
 
In New York City, FirstService Residential’s management portfolio comprises more than 500 rental, condominium, and cooperative properties with an aggregate value of more than $6 billion. This includes more than 70,000 residential units that are home to over 200,000 people in properties ranging from luxury towers and new developments to pre-war landmark buildings and apartment complexes.
 
For nearly 30 years, FirstService Residential’s dedicated team of local professionals has worked hard to become New York City’s premier residential property management company – a trusted partner representing buildings of every type and size.
 
FirstService Residential is committed to philanthropic and humanitarian concerns throughout the United States and Canada. Through FirstService Residential’s company-wide social purpose initiative, the company’s associates are given the opportunity to donate toys to needy children, gather donations for food banks and help build homes with Habitat for Humanity. The company has also raised money for autism support services, breast cancer research, Down’s syndrome research and other worthy causes.
 
With an unmatched combination of deep industry experience, local market expertise and personalized attention, FirstService Residential delivers proven solutions and exceptional service that add value, enhance lifestyles and make a difference, every day, for every resident and community it manages.  FirstServiceResidential is a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation, a North American leader in the property services sector. For more information, visit www.fsresidential.com
 
 
May 16, 2019