Trump Tower is one of the city's biggest consumers of energy
As president, Donald Trump has pulled the U.S. out of an international emissions treaty that would fight global warming, pledged his support for carbon-belching fuel sources such as coal and rejected the scientific consensus that the climate is warming because of man-made causes, with effects that will be catastrophic to society and the environment.
As a landlord and developer for years in New York, Trump through his real estate company, the Trump Organization, built and operated several buildings in the city that guzzled energy and reflected his dim view on environmental stewardship.
Trump Tower, the office and residential condo tower where the Trump Organization has its headquarters, has an Energy Star score of 44, 30% below the median, according to energy data released by the city. An Energy Star score is based on a formula developed by the federal Environmental Protection Agency to evaluate energy efficiency while taking into account extenuating factors such as property type and how densely a building is occupied. The score is also used to rate consumer products.
The building's poor performance was pointed out last week by Councilman Mark Levine during a City Council hearing to discuss legislation that would require buildings to install energy-efficient systems.
"The smokestacks in New York City are tall, big buildings, which are producing upwards of two-thirds of the greenhouse gases," Levine said. "Exhibit A on this actually is Trump Tower. Shockingly Trump Tower is amongst the least energy-efficient buildings in New York City. It's not complicated to make buildings like Trump Tower more efficient. You insulate the windows, you turn the lights off in rooms that are not in use, and you upgrade some of the mechanical systems. This can be done, and ultimately it saves the building money over time. It's smart environmental policy and smart economics."
The Trump Organization owns the roughly 300,000-square-foot office component in Trump Tower. The majority of the building is condos individually owned by residents, including Trump himself, who has a three-level penthouse unit. 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 at 521 Fifth Ave., between East 56th and East 57th streets, is a conspicuous consumer of power and is likely lacking green systems including efficient boilers, heating and ventilation and insulated windows that could reduce its energy load. According to city data, the building consumed 208,000 BTUs per square foot last year, almost 68% more than the median figure. It produced 7.2 metric tons of greenhouse gases per square foot, nearly 40% above the median.
Other properties no longer owned but developed by Trump perform even worse. Trump World Tower, the 72-story East Side edifice near the United Nations, has a lowly 26 Energy Star score, nearly 60% below the median. The Trump International Hotel & Tower in Columbus Circle has an Energy Star score of just 12. The hotel, formerly known as the Trump SoHo hotel and now rebranded as the Dominick Hotel, has an Energy Star score of 17.
The 1.1 million-square-foot downtown office spire at 40 Wall St. appeared to be the lone property owned by the company with a strong energy performance. That 72-story tower earned an Energy Star score of 90, 15% above the median for properties of its type. It consumed 154,000 BTUs per square foot, 16% below the median.
Cutting emissions from buildings has become a priority for the city, which has aimed to reduce its carbon footprint by 80% by 2050. Energy consumption from buildings accounts for about 70% 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% by 2030. The real estate industry has said it needs more time to make the cuts.
Crain's NY
As a landlord and developer for years in New York, Trump through his real estate company, the Trump Organization, built and operated several buildings in the city that guzzled energy and reflected his dim view on environmental stewardship.
Trump Tower, the office and residential condo tower where the Trump Organization has its headquarters, has an Energy Star score of 44, 30% below the median, according to energy data released by the city. An Energy Star score is based on a formula developed by the federal Environmental Protection Agency to evaluate energy efficiency while taking into account extenuating factors such as property type and how densely a building is occupied. The score is also used to rate consumer products.
The building's poor performance was pointed out last week by Councilman Mark Levine during a City Council hearing to discuss legislation that would require buildings to install energy-efficient systems.
"The smokestacks in New York City are tall, big buildings, which are producing upwards of two-thirds of the greenhouse gases," Levine said. "Exhibit A on this actually is Trump Tower. Shockingly Trump Tower is amongst the least energy-efficient buildings in New York City. It's not complicated to make buildings like Trump Tower more efficient. You insulate the windows, you turn the lights off in rooms that are not in use, and you upgrade some of the mechanical systems. This can be done, and ultimately it saves the building money over time. It's smart environmental policy and smart economics."
The Trump Organization owns the roughly 300,000-square-foot office component in Trump Tower. The majority of the building is condos individually owned by residents, including Trump himself, who has a three-level penthouse unit. 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 at 521 Fifth Ave., between East 56th and East 57th streets, is a conspicuous consumer of power and is likely lacking green systems including efficient boilers, heating and ventilation and insulated windows that could reduce its energy load. According to city data, the building consumed 208,000 BTUs per square foot last year, almost 68% more than the median figure. It produced 7.2 metric tons of greenhouse gases per square foot, nearly 40% above the median.
Other properties no longer owned but developed by Trump perform even worse. Trump World Tower, the 72-story East Side edifice near the United Nations, has a lowly 26 Energy Star score, nearly 60% below the median. The Trump International Hotel & Tower in Columbus Circle has an Energy Star score of just 12. The hotel, formerly known as the Trump SoHo hotel and now rebranded as the Dominick Hotel, has an Energy Star score of 17.
The 1.1 million-square-foot downtown office spire at 40 Wall St. appeared to be the lone property owned by the company with a strong energy performance. That 72-story tower earned an Energy Star score of 90, 15% above the median for properties of its type. It consumed 154,000 BTUs per square foot, 16% below the median.
Cutting emissions from buildings has become a priority for the city, which has aimed to reduce its carbon footprint by 80% by 2050. Energy consumption from buildings accounts for about 70% 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% by 2030. The real estate industry has said it needs more time to make the cuts.
Crain's NY
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