greenfitters profile of services for residential properties

8/14/2019 GreenFitters Profile of Services for Residential Properties

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Profile of Services



About GreenFitters

GreenFitters is a New York-based consultancy that specializes in helping buildingslower their energy and utility costs. Commercial and residential buildings in theNortheast typically spend more than 45% of their annual incomes on utilities, and thisexpense will only rise as energy prices increase worldwide. Over 99% of energyconsumed comes from non-renewable resources, while property owners and managerscontinue to lose millions of dollars annually on inefficient systems. While newconstruction today includes energy-efficient alternatives that cost less in the long run, itis often difficult for existing properties to take advantage of these technologies,particularly in urban centers like New York City. However, there are numerous solutionsthat urban properties can employ to reduce energy consumption and expenses.

GreenFitters will lower your costs by bringing these solutions to you. By improvingexisting buildings and systems, we can reduce energy consumption, both lowering costsand reducing carbon footprints. A typical retrofit can be as simple as replacing lightbulbs, streamlining plumbing systems and recaulking windows; or as extensive asreplacing floors, ceilings and walls, cutting new windows, and reworking entire HVACsystems.

Environmentally-focused retrofitting is not a new concept, and numerous propertyowners and managers have realized considerable savings by upgrading their facilities.Famously, the Empire State Building recently committed to a $600 million retrofit thatwill include complete window replacement, installation of motion sensors and increasedinsulation, to achieve nearly a 40% reduction in energy use. Other building retrofits,such as the Wanamaker Building (770 Broadway), 1095 Avenue of the Americas and545 Madison Avenue, have considerably lowered their utility usage and costs. By doingso they have also created environments more attractive to tenants and lowered their taxburdens.

GreenFitters is committed to working with our clients to identify and obtain all availablegovernment financing and incentives, available from local, state and federal agencies.Governments are aggressively subsidizing many of the technologies and processes thatwe recommend, offsetting much of the cost to our clients. We work with our clients toprepare and file all necessary paperwork to obtain these grants, rebates and taxabatements.

As a full-service consultancy, GreenFitters offers a wide range of services:• Our holistic approach to a building's energy profile enables us to create a utility

usage plan that incorporates retrofits, modified usage plans and a long-term view of the nation's energy crunch.

• We offer preferential pricing from many relevant vendors, including lighting,insulation and solar, allowing us to customize a model for your specific building.

• By working with government agencies and utility companies, we can reduce bothupfront costs and ongoing tax burdens for our customers.

• We will complete and submit any and all paperwork for grants, rebates andincentives.

• We can also arrange project financing, when necessary.



Table of Contents

Our Services

Financial Incentives & Tax AbatementsPublic Relations

Building Systems and Components Improvements

Lighting

HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning)

Water Heating

Water UsageGreen Roofs

Alternative Energy Production

Solar Energy

Photovoltaic Systems

Solar Thermal Heating

The GreenFitters TeamRecent “Green” News



Our Services

GreenFitters offers a wide variety of services intended to reduce your energy usage andcosts, improve the internal environment of your property and bring your property in line

with current government and private guidelines for “green” buildings. Our partners arewell-versed in the most cutting edge technologies in their respective areas and wepledge to deliver the products and services best suited to your needs.

In addition to the direct, tangible improvements that GreenFitters can make to your property, we offer services to help you pay for and capitalize on the improvements thatyou choose to make.

Financial Incentives & Tax Abatements

GreenFitters is committed to finding the most cost-effective solution for your retrofittingproject. In addition to working with our expert group of vendors to achieve preferred

pricing schemes for you, the GreenFitters team is well-versed in existing governmentand private-sector programs designed to encourage green renovation and development.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 included billions of dollars for environmental and energy-efficient programs and projects.Much of this money is still being allocated to individual federal andstate agencies. As distribution streams come online, GreenFitters isstudying and cataloging all ARRA funding sources that could behelpful to our clients.

Apart from the ARRA, there are numerous other federal, state andlocal government incentive programs for green retrofitting. The

GreenFitters team is constantly reviewing and evaluating these programs to determinetheir suitability for our clients. Additionally, there are federal, state and local taxabatements availability for a range of green improvements to property, among them themeasurable reduction of energy usage, and addition of solar panels or green roofs.

For example, New York City building owners are eligible for a property tax abatement of up to $100,000 for installation of a qualifying green roof. Similarly, New York City

owners are eligible for upwards of $62,500 in taxabatements to offset the costs of installing and operating asolar electric system on their buildings. Additionally, NewYork State, through NYSERDA (New York State EnergyResearch and Development Authority), is developing a

wide-ranging Green Building Tax Credit program, which weare studying. NYSERDA also offers technical assistancefunding to help offset the costs of going green.

On each project we must also consider other ratings systems, such as LEED andEnergyStar ©. Many building owners have soured on government-assigned or private-party labels such as these, and they are, in many cases, cumbersome and expensivedesignations to earn. However, GreenFitters will work with you to examine whether



these solutions may be right for your property, as they can sometimes providethousands of dollars in tax abatements and create a well-publicized green landmark.

The GreenFitters team has also been working closely with local utility companies tocapitalize on programs and incentives that they offer in their jurisdictions. We are also

working with them to design innovative, off-book approaches that will benefit our clientsin reduce their energy bills. LIPA (Long Island Power Authority), for example, has anumber of programs in place for customers who make efficiency-minded improvements.

Public Relations

While your financial bottom line and commitment to environmental sustainability are our key focus, there are myriad public relations benefits to be reaped from investment in thisarea. Consumers at all levels are paying keen attention to “going green” and ofteneither seek out green vendors and services or factor a company’s “greenness” into their

decision-making.

GreenFitters, as your one-stop solution, is prepared to work with you to ensure that youare able to realize the full benefit of the improvements that you make. We willcoordinate with the media outfits and government entities to promote the improvementsyou make to your property and the work that we do together.



Building Systems and Components Improvement

Lighting

There are many ways to save on energy costs with regards to indoor lighting.Depending on the portion of your energy costs devoted to lighting offices, bathrooms,stairways, hallways, and parking garages, you can save a significant amount of moneythrough a variety of efficiency-enhancing techniques.

The easiest and least-expensive energy-saving change you can make is the substitutionof all current incandescent light bulbs to CFL (compact fluorescent) or LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs.

Incandescent bulbs generate light by heating a tungsten filament until it glows, giving off light. A considerable amount of electricity isrequired to make an incandescent bulb burnbrightly. Only 10% of that electricity goestoward making light; the rest is wasted asheat. The inefficient incandescent bulb hasfallen out of favor with the financially- andecologically-concerned. Starting in 2012,incandescent bulbs will no longer becommercially available in the United States

CFL bulbs use significantly less energy, asmuch as 75% less, than incandescent lightbulbs. This means that CFLs require less wattage to produce an equivalent amount of

light. For example, you enjoy the same amount of light using a 20-watt CFL as youwould with a 75-watt incandescent bulb. Replacing a standard 60-watt bulb with a 13-watt CFL can result in a per-bulb savings of $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.This saving is compounded by the fact that CFLs last a long time: in some tests, theyburned brightly for 10,000 hours, whereas standard bulbs burned for just 800 to 1,500hours. Several manufacturers make compact fluorescent light bulbs that can be usedwith dimmer switches and in three-way lamps. And many CFL bulbs can be used

outdoors as long as the fixture is enclosed. Mostimportantly, they give off good light. In a 2007study conducted by Popular Mechanics, CFLsburned almost as brightly and produced a better quality light than a 75-watt incandescent bulb.

Though LED bulbs have traditionally beendimmer than incandescent bulbs, keeping LEDsout of the mainstream lighting market, LEDsbulbs have recently brightened up. You can nowfind LED bulbs that emit light equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent light bulb, making them a

viable technology for basic lighting needs in many situations. The LED method of



producing light loses far less energy to heat than do other lighting technologies. It isdramatically more efficient than the vacuum/filament method used in incandescentbulbs -- sometimes around 85% more efficient; and it is even about 5% more efficientthan the CFL's plasma-tube approach. A single light fixture equipped with a 60-wattincandescent bulb consumes about 525 kWh of electricity in a year; substituting an LEDbulb brings annual energy use to approximately 65 kWh. Solid-state lights like LEDsare more stable light sources than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs, and the differenceis startling: a typical incandescent bulb lasts about 750 hours, while some LED bulbslast up to 50,000 hours. Initial costs, however, can prove to be a deterrent. A 60-wattLED replacement bulb currently costs approximately $100, and lower-output bulbs, suchas those used in spot lighting, cost between $40 and $80. That's compared to less than$1 for incandescent bulbs and approximately $2 for fluorescents. However, whenlooked at in the long run, LEDs, even at $100 per bulb, will lead to significant savingsbecause of their long life and considerable efficiency advantage.

Why upgrade?

While your utility costs are driven by a variety of factors, seemingly small changes canhave a dramatic impact.

All buildings use both internal and external lighting. While a given fixture might haveonly a 100-watt bulb, these add upwhen looking at an entire building.And when considering the costs of lighting the external areas of aproperty, it is important to understandthat savings can be found oneverything from a single fixture to an

entire parking lot.

On average, you can assume thatswitching from an incandescent bulb toLED or CFL should reduce electricityusage by about 85%. Whether switching from a 100-watt bulb to a 16-watt CFL in an ordinary fixture, or froma 1000-watt High-Pressure Sodium bulb to a comparably ambient 175-watt LED in abroad-coverage outdoor fixture, you should always investigate new technologies to findlong-term cost savings. GreenFitters continuously studies and evaluates the newesttechnologies that may benefit our customers.

How much can this save you?

Take a standard retail parking lot with 20 lamps lit all night, year round. This can costas much as $15-20,000 every year, plus regular maintenance and repairs.

Swap in a new, brighter LED bulb, and you can earn back your investment severaltimes over in the next 15 years. Similar math applies for lighting hallways, conference



Residential HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning)

Heating, air conditioning and ventilation are likely the least efficient contributors to your utility costs. Keeping your home the right temperature can account for as much as 40%of your total energy costs, and in some cases higher. Because equipment is in manycases as old as the building itself, and is built right in to the structure, it can be verydifficult to contemplate alterations to your HVAC system. However, given how much itcosts to operate a typical heating or air conditioning unit, it is more expensive not torenovate. Additionally, there are some low-cost upgrades that can save you thousandsof dollars.

For a wider, shorter building, a green roof is a great, attractive solution. This may notwork for many city buildings, where the livable area is large but the roof area is small,

but there are options for improving everybuilding. Outside of an urbanenvironment, some solutions include

geothermal heating and planting moretrees for shade. Insulation is one way toincrease the efficiency of heating andcooling systems that will work in anystructure, regardless of size, use or location.

Superior insulation is the key to keepingany building temperate. There arenumerous types of insulation, which canbe installed in all areas of a building,independent of regular access or use.

Starting with the building envelope itself,spray foam insulation is easy to install, from inside or outside the building. It is a mildlyintrusive installation process, but it pays enormous dividends.

Moreover, all exterior doorways and windows, even those that cannot be opened,should be completely sealed to prevent heat loss. Proper caulking is a very simple,cheap solution, but can save a structure thousands of dollars each year in heat loss.For windows, particularly on upper floors, weather-stripping installs very quickly andeasily, and will prevent drafts in the summer and winter.

The boiler room should also be extensively insulated. Very often, boilers are relativelyold, and were insulated only when they were installed and not since. Boilers, as well as

all piping, must be adequately covered to prevent heat loss. It can be tricky to coatpipes that are hidden, but it is doable, and hugely profitable. Exposed pipes, often foundin pre-war apartments, will always suffer from poor heat retention.

Though insulation may be the most efficient way to cut your building’s HVAC costs,there are other solutions that can also help a great deal. Proper system monitoring willhelp identify which components and physical areas are more efficient than others, andwhich are costing you more money. This in turn will help you find any drafts, air leaks or



other issues requiring attention and correction. Fuel computers and sensor valves,installed on or near the boiler itself, will make it possible to lower boiler activity duringnon-peak hours, and to redirect the boiler’s energy where it is needed most (in thesummer, for example, the boiler will be used almost exclusively to heat water; in thewinter, it would heat workspaces as well).

If the building’s structure is strong enough, ceiling and window fans are also effectiveways to reduce energy use. On high floors, where outside winds are strong, fans cando a great deal to keep an apartment more temperate, without turning on the air conditioner.

Of course, we must ultimately look at the boiler and air conditioner units themselves.Most boilers in city buildings are well over thirty years old, and often closer to fifty or sixty, dating from the building’s original construction. Air conditioning units tend to beyounger, although since most are rooftop installations, they are continually exposed tothe elements and age very quickly. Replacing a boiler is often logistically very difficult,

due to space and usage considerations, but eventually, all heating and air conditioningunits reach their age limits, and must be replaced. Newer units are certified for energyefficiency and environmental impact, and can instantly lower your utility billssignificantly. GreenFitters is also working with companies developing low-cost, non-intrusive ways of improving HVAC efficiency to bring these solutions to you.



Water Heating

Water heating has long been one of the most complicated and expensive componentsof energy use in large buildings. Because we insist on hot water instantaneously, hotwater heaters and boilers must remain on at all times, even in hot months and during off hours. Moreover, due to an apartment building’s layout – tall and narrow – mostbuildings expend a significant amount of energy keeping hot water available to theupper floors of a building. This dual effect – maintaining water temperature and raisingit hundreds of feet above ground level – can expend over 35% of a building’s totalenergy output.

Fortunately, there are a number of solutions for reducing your water heating costs. Themost obvious, of course, would be to use less hot water, and any apartment buildingshould be phasing out older-model appliances, such as refrigerators, washing machinesand dishwashers, and replacing them with EnergyStar © models. Installing low-flowfixtures is also an easy upgrade. Due to recent advances, “low-flow” no longer implies

low-pressure and tenants are warming to low-flow showers and faucets.Since most active hot water use is in the shower, starting there makes sense. Eco-drains are not always easy to install, but will create savings of up to 40% instantly.These systems work by using hot water runoff – water that is still hot, but is simply lostdown the drain – to heat incoming water, and they are incredibly efficient.

Updating and expanding the use of high-efficiency insulation is a quick, easy andinexpensive way to reduce heat and energy loss in your water heating system (see theHVAC section for more information). Total replacement of a water boiler is expensive,messy, but sometimes necessary. Generally 30 years is the replacement point: anyolder water heating system is a prime candidate. Once you are replacing the water

boiler, you have many options to increase the efficiency of your system. Manufacturerscurrently offer a variety of oil, electric and steam boilers that are EnergyStar © approved.There are other possibilities, as well, such as indirect tank heaters, tankless heaters andhybrid systems. These each have their advantages and disadvantages, but all will be,to a large degree, more efficient than conventional boilers. GreenFitters is prepared tofind the most cost-effective and energy-efficient solution for your needs.



Water Usage

While water prices have remained steady over the years, the availability of potablewater is forecast to be strained over the next 20 years as populations increase andfresh water reservoirs decrease.

In this context, it is crucial for property managers to be aware of their water usage tounderstand where they can save money.

The average American home uses 127,00 gallons of water per year, and the averagebusiness uses an additional 40 gallons per day per employee. Fortunately, inefficientuse of water is a prime place tobegin a retrofit, as the culprits areeasy to find and to fix.

Of those 127,000 gallons, 18percent comes from toilets alone,

and another substantial amount islost through water faucets inbathrooms and other sinks. If youhave not yet switched to low-flowtoilets, faucets, and showerheads,you can save up to 20% on your water bill using these fixtures, ascompared with older models.

However, there are other structuralupgrades you can make in your property to decrease waste: motion sensors and

internal water recycling. As with electricity, motion sensors can be an effective way toreduce water usage. Whether switching to motion sensors on toilets or on faucets,these installations ensure that water will not be running if nobody is there to use it.

In office buildings, hotels, and many apartment buildings, charges associated with water are included in whatever rent is charged. Accordingly, your tenants or guests do notsee an incentive for them to use less water. GreenFitters will help you design aprogram so that your guests will embrace these new appliances, saving you money.



Green Roofs

For any building looking to lower its heating and cooling bills and extend the lifespan of the roof, a green roof is a necessary consideration. Green roofs, also called ecoroofs,have been in use for thousands of years but are only recently being fully understood for their beneficial qualities. Grass and small plants are far superior to tar at covering abuilding’s surface, and can be used to create a lovely, bucolic escape from the city’shustle and bustle. As a premier green roof consultant, GreenFitters is ready to matchyou with the right vendor for your needs.

A green roof is, quite simply, what it sounds like: a layer of plants covering a building’savailable roof space. All green roofs must contain a layer of soil, proportional to the

type of plant used, as well as superior waterproofing and an unbreakable rootbarrier. Green roofs can be madelightweight, in some cases weighing no

more than 15 lbs/ft2

for more expansivesurfaces. They can be worked into a newroof installation, which will often lower thecost and simplify expenses, or retrofittedon to an existing roof. Most roof warranties will honor green roof installation, and in some cases, the greenroof may even extend an existingwarranty. Green roofs provide numerousbenefits, including superior insulation; a

greatly extended roof lifespan; and others, such as improvement of the sound barrier and rainwater retention.

The primary benefit of using plant life to cover a roof, rather than tar, shingle, silver or white roofs, is the increased insulation provided. On an average 90° F day, a black tar roof can heat up to in excess of 180°—this means that the top few floors of the buildingbelow are cooling down not from 90°, but from double that. A green roof, however, willmaintain its cool, sometimes as low as 95°, and thus save the building substantialcooling bills. During the winter, the benefits of a green roof are similar, keeping thefloors below warm, even through the winter chill.

Most commercial roofs are given, upon installation, a 15- to 20-year life span. This isremarkably short for a building that can expect to remain standing for twenty times aslong, and it comes with heavy maintenance costs—sometimes more an $1/sq.ft. in later years. A green roof shares little of those concerns. Green roofs enjoy life spans of wellover 35 years, and can be fitted to last as long as 65 to 70. Moreover, apart fromoccasional gardening, weeding and watering, an ecoroof should require littlemaintenance. This can save a building, for the life span of a green roof, over $500,000in replacement and maintenance costs.

While the direct benefits, in terms of reductions in HVAC expenses and increasedlifespan of the roof, make green roofs financially and environmentally attractive on their



own, city, state and federal governments have sought to increase the adoption of greenroofs by establishing incentive programs . The USGBC (United States Green BuildingCouncil) has made green roofs a key component of LEED Certification, with allotmentsof up to 16 LEED points possible. A New York program offers a substantial property taxabatement, of $4.50/sq.ft. (up to $100,000), for any commercial structure in New YorkCity that installs a qualifying green roof.



Alternative Energy Production

In addition to reducing the amount of energy that you draw from your local utilitycompany, GreenFitters has several solutions if you are interested in using your property

to produce energy. These systems will both reduce the energy you consume from other sources and potentially give you the opportunity to sell excess power either back to theelectric company or to third-party energy purchasers.

Solar Energy

Photovoltaic Systems

One of the most revolutionary ways to save energy is to harness the energy of the sunand convert it to electricity for our daily use. On a bright, sunny day, the sun shines

approximately 1,000 watts of energy per square meter of the planet's surface, and if wecould collect all of that energy we could easily power our homes and offices for free.Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels convert sunlight directly into electricity. PV cells aremade of semiconductors such as silicon, currently the most commonly used. Whenlight strikes the cell, a certain portion of it is absorbed within the semiconductor material,transferring its to the semiconductor. The energy knocks electrons loose, allowing themto flow freely. This flow of electrons is a current, and by placing metal contacts on thetop and bottom of the PV cell, we can draw that current off to use externally.

It should be noted that not everyroof has the correct orientation or angle of inclination to take

advantage of the sun's energy.However, if your building has anunshaded, south-facing roof, youcan choose from a number of options to design the size and typeof system that is best for your property. GreenFitters, along withour solar energy partners, areprepared to work through thisprocess with you so that you arebest able to take advantage of your

building.Since not all days, and not all hours of the day, will be filled with sunshine, PV systemsrequire batteries to facilitate energy storage. You will also require an inverter to convertthe PV system’s direct current to the alternate current that runs through your wires.Once installed, a PV system requires very little maintenance and will provide electricitycleanly and quietly for 20 years or more.



Solar Thermal Heating

Aside from the photovoltaic approach, where sunlight is directly converted to useableelectricity, there are other important applications of solar energy relating to solar generation of heat, referred to as “solar thermal.”

In the simplest solar thermal application, a discrete solar collector gathers solar radiation to heat air or water for domestic, commercial or industrial use. The solar panelis usually a flat plate collector that consists of a metal box with a glass or plastic cover and a black absorber plate at the bottom. Absorber plates are usually painted withselective coatings that absorb and retain heat better than ordinary black paint. Thesides and bottom of the collector are usually insulated to minimize heat loss.

In locations with average available solar energy, flat plate collectors are sized atapproximately 0.5 to 1 ft2/gallon of daily hot water use. The solar collector is usually

mounted on the roof and is connected to acircuit containing water with propyleneglycol anti-freeze added, if necessary. Theheated liquid flows around the circuit, either under the action of a pump to warm themain hot water tank, or by a thermo-syphoning action to warm a solar water storage tank that then feeds the hot water tank.

Passive solar heating is the absorption of solar energy in a building to reduce theenergy required to warm the habitable areas

(i.e. to contribute to space heating). Air isnormally used to circulate and distribute thecollected energy, generally without the use

of pumps or fans. Indeed, the air flow generated can be used as a means of ventilatingthe building, or even cooling it by drawing in cooler air to replace upwardly moving solar heated air.

In solar hot water systems, sunlight reduces the amount of electricity or gas required toheat your hot water supply, so it cuts your fuel bills. Residential buildings benefit mostwhere hot water demand is highest e.g. a large family or a big laundry load.Commercial or industrial solar water heating systems are most cost effective in facilitieswith water heating systems that are expensive to operate, or in operations such as

laundries or kitchens that require large quantities of hot water. According to the FederalEnergy Management Program Solar Water Heating Technology Alert, flat plate water heating systems range in price from about $2,000 to $4,000 installed for residentialsystems (for 40 to 80 gallons per day usage), and $2,000 to $50,000 for commercialsystems (for 40 to 1700 gallons per day usage).



The GreenFitters Team



Steven Schwartzberg

Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

Steven brings a strategic and holistic approach to every GreenFitters project. In hisexperience as a strategy consultant for Bain & Company, Steven worked with financialservices and consumer product companies to maximize their investments throughrevenue growth and cost-saving initiatives. He brought that experience to a five year career working with small businesses at American Express, managing products andbenefits for high spending customers from construction foremen to IT professionals. Withan Honors Degree in Economics from Harvard, Steven focuses on the entire project,Marc Aaron Melzer

General Counsel

Marc comes to GreenFitters after more than three years as a litigation associate with alarge New York law firm, where he represented major corporations in a range of litigationmatters. A graduate of Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania LawSchool, Marc has long been interested in green living and has closely followeddevelopments in this area. He is admitted to the state bars of New York and New Jersey.He also volunteers with Hazon, a Jewish environmental organization that runs programsin the United States and abroad to promote sustainability and better living. Marc focuses



Recent Green News

“Despite what many companies think -- that reducing their environmental impact is anice idea, but impractical because of the cost -- businesses can go green and lower costs at the same time. No one disputes that it's expensive to cap smokestacks andprocess hazardous waste. But as the earlier lesson suggests, the focus shouldn't be oncleaning up and its costs -- the focus should be on creating less mess to begin with.”

Alan G. Robinson and Dean Schroeder, “Greener and Cheaper,” Wall Street Journal ,March 23, 2009

“City officials estimated that it would save property owners roughly $750 million a year in energy costs, city officials said. The program would begin in 2013, with 2,200buildings performing audits and beginning upgrades each year for a decade.”

Andrew C. Revkin, “City Plan to Make Older Buildings Refit to Save Energy,” New York Times, April 22, 2009

greenfitters profile of services for residential properties

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